Two-time legislator from Shakur Basti Dr. S.C. Vats, under whose chairmanship the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in Delhi Assembly had indicted Sheila Dikshit government over privatisation of power, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party along with his supporters including a sitting Congress municipal councillor Jyoti Agarwal on Wednesday. Addressing the reporters after taking membership of the BJP, Mr. Vats, who has been secretary of the All India Congress Committee in the past, said he decided to quit his parent organisation as it was witnessing an ‘ideological vacuum’ and decided to join BJP due to the ‘impressive and transparent governance’ provided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Welcoming the leader, Delhi BJP in-charge Prabhat Jha said “he assures the new entrant that he would never be devoid of ideological satisfaction in the BJP”.
In 2005, the PAC had cast serious aspersions on the role and conduct of officials and even pointed to ‘monetary benefits’ having influenced the decision-making process to benefit big business houses.
The report was adopted unanimously by the Delhi Assembly. The Assembly also gave its nod for a CBI probe. The matter is currently sub-judice before the Delhi High Court.
Replying to a specific question about the report, Mr. Vats said he “still stands by the report and would help his new party in taking the matter to its logical conclusion”.
The entry of Mr. Vatsa in the party, however, stoked speculations in the BJP circles about the possibility of the former Congress leader being fielded by the party from Shakur Basti.
While Mr. Vatsa claimed that he is not joining the BJP with an eye on an Assembly ticket “and he is ready to work for the party as a normal worker”.
Sources within the BJP, however, said going by the electoral strategy of the party - of fielding current and former legislators of other parties by poaching them just ahead of the polls - implemented in the States where the party emerged victorious recently, Mr. Vatsa stands a good chance.
