I am not joining the Cabinet: Amit Shah

BJP President Amit Shah on Monday ruled out joining the Union Cabinet, saying he was satisfied being the party president. He also said UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya will continue in his post, ruling out him being moved to Delhi as a Minister.

“There is no question. I have the responsibility of being BJP president. I am happy and satisfied with that role and I am doing it with full vigour. Aap log dhakka mat lagaiye (don’t push me out),” Shah said in Lucknow after being asked if he would join the Cabinet since he has filled up his nomination to enter the Rajya Sabha as an MP. There are many vacancies in the Union Council of Ministers, including in Ministry of Defence.

In response to another question on Keshav Prasad Maurya’s role, Shah said he would be soon relieved of duties as the state party president to let him focus on his job in the UP government. There has been speculation that Maurya may be brought to Delhi into the Council of Minister to avoid a by-poll on his Phulpur Lok Sabha seat from where Mayawati is said to be planning to contest with opposition’s support. With Maurya now set to remain as UP Deputy Chief Minister, a by-poll on Phulpur seat seems inevitable.

Shah also questioned the Congress on why it had kept its Gujarat MLAs locked up in hotel rooms in Bengaluru where the party was itself in power. “The allegation by the Congress in Gujarat is anyways wrong,” Shah said. He also denied the assertion that BJP had broken the Mahagathbandan in Bihar, saying Nitish Kumar had wilfully resigned as CM and then the BJP had joined him. “Did you want me to point a gun to Nitish Kumar to make him stay with Lalu Prasad?” Shah asked in Lucknow.

He also stressed that no BJP leader was named in Panama papers and a SIT was probing it. Shah also said there was no discussion in the BJP on inducting senior SP leader Shivpal Yadav nor was there any proposal from Shivpal Yadav in this regard.