Barmer (Rajasthan) : Former union minister Jaswant Singh Monday filed his nomination papers as an Independent candidate from the Barmer Lok Sabha constituency following denial of ticket to him by the BJP. The following are some of his remarks:
* “Ye NaMo, NaMo ka jo tamasha hai (the circus around NaMo chants), it reminds me of 1975 (Emergency rule). It reeks of arrogance.”
* “There is no effort to take everyone along. This is a dangerous route, better if they tread with caution.”
* “I say with regret that these two people (Vasundhra Raje and Rajnath Singh) have sort of betrayed me. The betrayal is not with Jaswant Singh alone but with the BJP’s principles and ideologies.”
* “The BJP has become like the Congress, indulging in vote bank politics. It has abandoned its principles and ideology.”
* “I certainly think the BJP’s conceptual divide over understanding principles is increasingly visible.”
* “The way I was expelled after the BJP Shimla convention, even a ‘chaprasi’ (peon) isn’t expelled like that.”
* “Perhaps it was an emotional weakness that I joined the BJP again though all my relatives and friends had sought to dissuade me.”
* “I am contesting on principle and honour, not just for my honour, but that of all people of Barmer.”
* “After having served the (Atal Bihari) Vajpayee government… which office do I seek? I certainly have aspiration to do 10th term (in parliament). I told my colleagues (about it).”