Jaswant case: Amit Shah justifies decision to deny ticket

NEW DELHI: The denial of ticket by BJP to Jaswant Singh was today justified by Narendra Modi's close aide Amit Shah who said all decisions have been taken after careful thought and consideration.

"Every decision has its pluses and minuses. All decisions have been taken after careful thought and consideration," Shah, BJP general secretary, told reporters here.

He was responding when asked about denial of ticket to Singh from Barmer in Rajasthan because of which he decided to contest as an independent.

Singh, former External Affairs Minister, today targeted the party leadership, particularly BJP chief Rajnath Singh over denial of ticket to him.

Considered a key strategist for the Lok Sabha polls, Shah was unfazed by Singh's decision to contest as an independent or quitting the party, saying, "I am sure we are going to form the government in 2014."

He downplayed the show of dissidence by party leaders and workers in several constituencies over the distribution of tickets, saying when the possibility of victory rises, then naturally more people desire to contest polls.

Shah, who is in-charge of party's affairs in Uttar Pradesh, also downplayed the controversy over tweets of BJP president Rajnath Singh. He first wrote 'abki bar bhajapa sarkar' (this time BJP government), changing the tagline from the party's slogan of 'abki bar Modi sarkar', but reverted to it after a controversy.

"The confusion is in your mind. There is no confusion in the party. Both slogans mean the same thing," he said.