Shehzad Poonawalla resigns from BJP, cites personal reasons: Report
What's the story
Shehzad Poonawalla has resigned from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), sources told CNN-News18. The former national spokesperson of the party submitted his resignation to the top leadership, citing personal reasons. An official statement is expected to be released soon. Notably, Poonawalla's updated bio on X (formerly Twitter) does not mention his association with the BJP but calls him a "lifelong follower" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Career path
Poonawalla hinted at moving away from active politics
Poonawalla's Instagram bio still describes him as a National Spokesperson of the BJP. He had joined the BJP after leaving the Congress in 2017 over a dispute with its presidential election process.
Known for his fiery remarks, Poonawalla had been a vocal supporter of PM Modi and often criticized Congress leaders like Rahul Gandhi.
In recent posts on X, he hinted at moving away from active politics, sharing clips of past interviews where he spoke about quitting politics.
Political insights
I will quit active politics: Poonawalla in 2024
In one clip, he spoke about merging political and electoral goals, saying, "Thinking that I make a societal contribution only after my electoral goals are met is a mistake."
He also shared another clip where he said he had decided in 2024 to quit active politics. "In 2024, I had decided that I will quit active politics," he said in the clip.