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Mahesh Jethmalani explains to Sheela Bhatt why he resigned from the BJP's national executive.
"One has to follow one's conscience. I resigned because Bharatiya Janata Party president Nitin Gadkari had appointed me in the party's national executive. It was the favour done by him to me. I am not satisfied with his actions now, so I resigned." advocate Mahesh Jethamalani exclusively told rediff.com.
Jathamalani's resignation is likely to put moral pressure on Gadkari, who is accused of engaging in huge malpractices in running his Rs 200 crore business empire where he is, so far, unable to show the source of huge funds invested in the companies founded by him and he has shown 'fake companies' where his driver and sundry assistants are shown as shareholders investing crores of rupees.
The expose of his companies' details has become the national shame for the BJP.
Gadkari is seeking a second term in office in a few weeks' time. So far, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has supported Gadkari who was brought into the centre-stage of national politics by them.
Gadkari's failure is solely RSS's failure because he was imposed on the party organ of the sangh pariwar by the leaders of the RSS headquarters in Nagpur. Gadkari has failed his mentors who expected him to build the pan-India public image to get going on the path of a bigger role, if and when the BJP-led government could be formed in New Delhi.
But the expose of Gadkari's Purti group of companies has weakened him and strenghtened other factions led by senior leaders within the BJP -- such as Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
When asked that it's believed that he is acting on Modi's behalf, Jethmalani said, "Those who want to avoid the issue (of corruption by Gadkari) talk like this. I go by my judgement. I have my understanding of the situation."
Jethamalani's father and veteran advocate Ram Jethamalani has helped Modi's confidante Amit Shah in formulating complicated strategies for the legal actions in the Sohrabuddin encounter and other cases. Modi also reportedly forced the party high command in New Delhi to give the senior Jethamalani a berth in the Rajya Sabha.
When asked if he wanted Gadkari to resign when the corruption issue cropped up, Mahesh said, "I would have liked that. I met him a few days ago. He was my leader and I supported him. I had no problem with him. But now I am disagreeing with his actions."
When asked if he has resigned only from the national executive or from the party too, Mahesh got excited, "I have resigned from the national executive, only because Gadkari had appointed me. The party is not anybody's property."
When asked about the details of the financial scandal that Gadkari is involved in, Mahesh who is fully aware of the case against Gadkari said, "I don't want to go in to details of it right now."