Newsroom24x7 Staff

Bhopal/Indore: Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, who was elected to Parliament from Indore for the eighth time in 2014, today went public and released a letter to the media stating that now she does not want to contest the Lok Sabha election and hence the party is free to nominate its candidate from Indore without hesitation.

Sumitra Mahajan’s letter has come in for sharp criticism because there was no reason for a “committed and devoted party leader” to shoot a letter in public domain to ask “why her party had not declared its candidate from Indore till now and why there was uncertainty in this matter?” During election time, when no party can afford even the minutest of dent in its image, such a poser and the posture adopted by a senior party leader, who began her political career as an ordinary party worker and rose to become the Lok  Sabha Speaker under the BJP umbrella, is being viewed as an unwarranted over-reaction in BJP circles. The issue raised by Ms. Mahajan could have been taken up within the party without going public, a State BJP office bearer said.

 

English translation of Sumitra Mahajan’s letter

“BJP has not declared its candidate from Indore till now.

Why this uncertainty? It is possible that the party is in a dilemma when it comes to taking a decision (in this regard). Although I had discussed the matter with party seniors much in advance and had left the decision to them. It seems there is still some uncertainty in their mind. Due to this reason, I am announcing that now I don’t want to contest the Lok Sabha election. hence the party is free to take a decision without hesitation.

I am grateful to the people of Indore, who have showered their love on me, the BJP and all its workers who have supported and everyone who stood by me. I express the hope that the party will take a decision without wasting more time so that in the coming days everyone is in a position to work comfortably and there is no uncertainty.”