Rejected Anna Joshi demands explanation from BJP higher-ups

PUNE, Aug 22: A highly dejected Anna Joshi who is still smarting from the unsavoury episode when he was abruptly replaced by Pradeep Rawa...

PUNE, Aug 22: A highly dejected Anna Joshi who is still smarting from the unsavoury episode when he was abruptly replaced by Pradeep Rawat, today bitterly questioned the role played by the national leadership and demanded a thorough explanation from the higher-ups.

The senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader, despite having maintained a studied silence following the dramatic cancellation of his candidature, expressed hurt at the manner in which he had been removed. The party leadership should have at least informed me before cancelling the nomination, a pained Joshi rued.

He lamented that the top brass did not even bother to consider his request that Rawat should be stopped from filing his nomination papers. Joshi put the blame on central leadership for the entire controversy. He pooh-poohed reports that he had met Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar to secure the party nomination from Pune. He said he would take decision on his next political action on Tuesday, the last date of filing nomination papers. Meanwhile, BJP has launched sepcial efforts to pacify angry Joshi. A number of party and RSS leaders have called on Joshi and Rawat is also expected to meet him tomorrow.