BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla resigned from all party posts and primary membership, saying recent events involving certain individuals strengthened his decision to leave.
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla on Monday announced his resignation from all party positions and the BJP’s primary membership, saying recent events involving “certain individuals” had reinforced his decision to leave.
Poonawalla posted his resignation letter on X and said he had once again submitted it to the BJP and its national president Nitin Nabin, requesting that it be accepted.
“The events of the last few days, courtesy certain individuals about whom I have told you in great detail, have forced me to reinforce and stand by my earlier decision,” Poonawalla wrote in the letter.
He did not identify the individuals or provide details about the events he was referring to.
The latest letter followed an earlier resignation dated July 30, when Poonawalla had offered to resign unconditionally from all party positions and the BJP’s primary membership, citing “pressing financial and personal circumstances”.
According to Monday’s letter, the BJP did not immediately accept his resignation and instead asked him to reconsider his decision.
Poonawalla said he was grateful to the party for asking him to reconsider but, after “long and hard contemplation”, decided to press for his release as national spokesperson and from active primary membership of the BJP.
In his X post accompanying the letter, Poonawalla thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Nabin, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP leaders JP Nadda, BL Santhosh and Nitin Gadkari, as well as the wider Sangh Parivar, for the opportunities and support extended to him.
He described his departure as a “warm good bye” to a party and national spokesperson’s role that he loved, while making it clear that his support for Modi’s political vision would continue.
Poonawalla also said financial and personal circumstances had prompted him to move into the private sector. He added that wherever possible, he would continue supporting Modi and the BJP’s work.
“Like I said, I am only leaving the Vyavastha not the Vyakti or Vichar,” he wrote, indicating that his departure was from the party organisation rather than from the political ideas and leadership he supported.
Poonawalla’s resignation marks the exit of one of the BJP’s regular representatives on prime-time television debates.
As national spokesperson, he frequently appeared on news channels to defend the party and the Modi government’s positions and counter opposition parties.
Before joining the BJP, Poonawalla was associated with the Congress and served as a Maharashtra Congress functionary.
He broke with the party in 2017 after questioning the process for Rahul Gandhi’s election as Congress president. He subsequently joined the BJP in 2018 and went on to become one of its prominent television spokespersons.
