New Delhi: Shehzad Poonawalla, a prominent national spokesperson for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and a familiar face on Indian television debates, has announced his resignation from all party positions and primary membership. Citing "pressing" financial and personal circumstances, Poonawalla revealed in his first interview post-exit that political parties, including the BJP, do not provide salaries to their spokespersons, making self-sustenance a significant challenge.
"I need to pay my rent. My landlord is not going to give me free rent because I’m from the BJP. He’s asking me for rent on the 1st. Political parties don’t pay karyakartas (workers)," Poonawalla stated emphatically in an exclusive interview with NDTV.
Despite the financial strain, Poonawalla was quick to clarify that he did not expect the BJP to financially support him, reiterating his unwavering commitment to the party’s ideology and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision. "The BJP’s job is not to sustain me or any other karyakarta. When you join a political movement, this is not a job. You become a karyakarta because of the love for the vichar dhara (ideology), or the love for the vyakti (person), or the love for the sangathan (organisation), etc. All those three things are still there with me."
Poonawalla, who joined the BJP in 2021 after leaving the Congress, highlighted his unique position as a "first-generation, new-age politician" who is neither a beneficiary of political largesse ("leta") nor a product of political lineage ("beta"). He lamented that public perception often assumes all politicians possess an inherent lifestyle, contrasting it with the realities faced by individuals like him who lack such legacies. "People are unwilling to accept that politicians like me… don’t come from any legacy. What happens is we are so used to seeing Sachin Pilots or we are so used to seeing all these netas, betas, that we assume that everyone has that lifestyle," he explained.
He also emphasized that his resignation was not a sudden decision, but a culmination of thoughts he had entertained since 2024. Poonawalla confirmed that party leadership had reached out to him after he initially expressed his desire to quit a few weeks prior. "Whoever needed to reach out to me already reached out to me on the 30th of July. And much before that, when I communicated that these are the challenges I’m facing, they in fact went out of their way to work out or see how I could be taken care of. But honestly, my conscience doesn’t allow me. The BJP is not my employment opportunity. The BJP is my ideological opportunity. And to commit to the BJP’s ideology or Modiji’s vision, I don’t need to be in a position in the BJP."
Addressing various "conspiracy" theories surrounding his departure, including an alleged "sting operation" video, Poonawalla vehemently denied any knowledge of such content, dismissing the social media rumors as baseless. "I don’t pursue these things. Whoever is spreading this is not making it salacious enough."
In his resignation letter, Poonawalla alluded to "the events of the last few days, courtesy certain individuals," without naming names or specifying details. He told NDTV that working issues are inherent in any organization, especially political ones. "In any organization, and especially in political organizations or media organizations, if you feel that everyone is going to have the most cordial, hunky-dory relationship, that’s not how it works." He further suggested that there are individuals who wish to see him fail, acknowledging this as a common aspect of public life.
Regarding recent criticism over a video advocating for tax relief for the middle class, Poonawalla clarified that his call was made as a "nagrik" (citizen) and was not targeted at the central government or any specific party. He acknowledged the central government’s efforts in GST rationalization but pointed to various other taxes levied by state governments and through tolls and cesses.
When asked about the possibility of rejoining the Congress party, Poonawalla offered a playful, albeit firm, set of conditions: "I will join Congress, on one condition: Remove Rahul Gandhi, remove Sonia Gandhi, remove Priyanka Wadra, apologize for Nehru’s actions."
Poonawalla concluded by reaffirming his ideological alignment with Prime Minister Modi’s vision, stating, "I’m not a bhavishya vakta (future teller) like Rahul Gandhi, but all I can say in the present moment is that there is no greater leader this country has had, or will have, than Prime Minister Modi. And having served as the national spokesperson of the world’s largest democratic party, do you think I’m going to settle for some other party? The BJP is the best party that India has at this moment."
