BJP Rajya Sabha MP Ajay Pratap Singh quits party; slams it over selection of LS poll nominees, graft
Bhopal (PTI): Bharatiya Janata Party's Rajya Sabha member from Madhya Pradesh, Ajay Pratap Singh, on Saturday resigned from the party's primary membership, expressing displeasure over its process of selecting candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, and slammed it for indulging in "large-scale corruption".
He claimed that corrupt people are getting protection in the BJP and the party has become an "adda" (meeting place) of political traders.
Singh shared his resignation letter in a post on his official X account this morning.
"I am resigning from the primary membership of the party," he stated in his one-line letter addressed to BJP chief J P Nadda.
The letter, however, did not mention any reason for quitting the party.
Talking to reporters in Sidhi city, Singh, however, levelled serious allegations against the party, including of protecting corrupts.
The Rajya Sabha member, one of the aspirants for party ticket from Sidhi Lok Sabha seat, also expressed displeasure over the process of ticket distribution.
The party said the tickets will be allotted based on a survey of people, but this policy did not reflect in the selection of candidates, he alleged.
Singh said, "BJP has declared its candidate. I have no opposition to any candidate, but I have objection and disagreement with the selection system of the party. I am not able to accept it. All this has been reflected in my resignation letter."
In the past 15-20 years, the BJP has been in power in Madhya Pradesh and for 10 years at the Centre.
"I felt several things in the party during this period. I couldn't say them when by staying in the party, but I can say those things now. Corruption is prevailing in the party on a large scale. Corrupt persons are getting protection on a large scale. Politics have become a medium of business...Rather we can say that the party has become an 'adda' of political traders," Singh alleged.
He said that earlier, the BJP used to be known for "tyag, tapasya aur balidan" (sacrifice and penance), but the party can no more boast of that.
Singh alleged that development didn't take place in Sidhi despite promises.
"The slogan of Viksit Bharat (developed India) is hollow. My commitment is for the people of Sidhi-Singrauli.. I have decided to give my remaining life to them," he said.
The Rajya Sabha member said he found the BJP is not suitable to achieve his aim of serving people, so he decided to resign from the party.
"I didn't find BJP suitable, so I am resigning from the party," he said.
Singh was nominated to the Upper House of Parliament by the BJP in March 2018. His tenure as a Rajya Sabha member will end on April 2. However, he was not re-nominated by the party.
Singh was an aspirant of party ticket from Sidhi but the BJP has fielded Rajesh Mishra from there.
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Centre further tightens wheat stock limit for wholesalers, retailers & processors
New Delhi: The government on Wednesday further tightened wheat stock holding norms for wholesalers, small and big chain retailers, and processors to curb hoarding and check price rise.
"As part of continuous efforts to moderate prices of wheat, the central government has decided to revise the wheat stock limit applicable until 31st March 2025," the food ministry said in a statement.
According to the revised norms, wholesalers are now allowed to maintain wheat stock up to 1,000 tonne instead of 2,000 tonne, retailer can hold 5 tonne for each outlet instead of 10 tonne, while big chain retailer can hold 5 tonne for each outlet instead of 10 tonne earlier.
Processors will be allowed to maintain 50 per cent instead of 60 per cent of their monthly installed capacity multiplied by the remaining months till April 2025.
The stock limits on wheat were first imposed on June 24 and later revised to tighten the norms on September 9 in order to manage the overall food security and to prevent hoarding and unscrupulous speculation.
The ministry said all wheat stocking entities are required to register on the wheat stock limit portal (https://evegoils.Nic.In/wsp/login) and update the stock position every Friday.
If the stocks held by entities are higher than the prescribed limit, they should bring the quantity to the prescribed stock limits within 15 days of the issue of the notification.
Any entity which is found to have not registered on the portal or violates the stock limits will be subject to suitable punitive action under the Essential Commodities Act,1955.
The food ministry is maintaining close watch over the stock position of wheat to control prices and ensure easy availability in the country.
