No decision yet on Akash Vijayvargiya; MP BJP chief says 'will let you know'

Action being expected against MLA after PM Modi's sharp rebuke

Akash Vijayvargiya | Twitter/ANI Akash Vijayvargiya | Twitter/ANI

The Bharatiya Janata Party's Madhya Pradesh unit has not yet taken any decision regarding party MLA Akash Vijayvarigya involved in the controversial incident of hitting a municipal officer with a cricket bat on June 26. Party state president Rakesh Singh said on Thursday, “When there is a decision, we will let you know”.

Action is being anticipated against the controversial MLA, son of party general secretary and stalwart Kailash Vijayvargiya, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his extreme displeasure over the incident.

Modi, without naming Akash, had said during the BP parliamentary party meeting on Tuesday that “any arrogance or misbehavior in public will not be tolerated... whoever’s son he may be”. The prime minister also suggested that such persons and their supporters be expelled from the party.

Two days after Modi's strong rebuke, party state unit still seems to be in a non-decisive mode.

On Thursday, Singh reportedly spoke to both national president Amit Shah and Akash’s father Kailash Vijayvargiya on the issue, further fuelling the speculation that action might be coming soon.

Earlier in the day, Singh had told media that he would let them know the decision in ten minutes and that no notice had been issued to Akash. Later in the afternoon, he said the decision when made would be let known.

Congress has been aggressively pushing for action on the errant MLA who was lodged in jail for four days after the June 26 incident and came out on bail only to sound unrepentant. He was given a grand welcome by party workers and leaders.

However, things turned on their head after the strong statement by Modi.

Senior BJP leaders in the state thereafter assumed silence and Akash became unavailable to media for comments. Singh also avoided the media until his Thursday statement in Bhopal when he also said every party has its own process of functioning. 

Meanwhile, sources said that central leadership of the party had sought details of those who had openly supported Akash over the incident and that they might also face action, along with the MLA.

Rumours have it that the central executive of the BJP has already served a notice to Akash. The state unit, however, has denied it.