Sinha adamant, BJP mum

Refusing to be cowed down by the sack for criticising party president LK Advani and the Jharkhand government, a defiant Yashwant Sinha today said he would continue to raise issues of ideology and people.

But the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today chose not to react to the sacked spokesman's statement. Sinha also tried to scotch speculation that he was quitting the party. But he is said to be in talks with various political parties.

"There is speculation that I am planning to quit the BJP. I am not leaving the party," he said. The former foreign affairs minister said his remarks in the wake of the Jinnah controversy were not against Advani but related to the issue of ideology. On the criticism of the BJP-led government in Jharkhand, he said it reflected the problems faced by the people of the state.

"We have not heard his statement so far. So there is no comment. We do not want to join the issue (with him)," BJP spokes-man Prakash Javadekar said reacting to Sinha's remarks.

"We do not want to join the issue (with him)," he said.