Senior BJP leader and former MP Kirit Somaiya on Tuesday reiterated that he has not forgotten the humiliation he faced during the 2019 Lok Sabha election campaign, even as he clarified that he is not upset with the party and does not seek any organisational post.
Somaiya, who met the Mulund–Kurla Tehsildar earlier in the day regarding a fake birth certificate case, staged a sit-in at the office before speaking to the media. During the interaction, he said he had already informed Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis that the events of 2019 continue to hurt him.
2019 Incident Is Unforgettable
“I have clearly told Devendra Fadnavis that I cannot forget the incident of 2019. I have sacrificed for the party. I don’t need any post. The biggest post for me is that workers stand with me,” Somaiya said, insisting he is working for the BJP “thousands of times more than anyone else.”
He also questioned why MLA Amit Satam was “insisting on the post of BJP’s election director,” while stressing that he himself has no such expectations.
Somaiya added that he considers his campaign against alleged illegal Bangladeshi migrants in Mumbai a high responsibility. “Bangladeshis are scared when they see me. That is a big post for me,” he said.
Somaiya Recalls Being Removed From 2019 Event
Somaiya publicly revisited the incident from 2019, when he was asked to leave a joint press conference scheduled to be addressed by Uddhav Thackeray and Amit Shah. At the time, Thackeray reportedly refused to attend the event if Somaiya remained present, forcing BJP leaders to persuade him to exit the venue.
“It is fine if BJP leaders reached an agreement with Uddhav Thackeray. But I cannot forgive the leader who threw me out of the stage and party hall only because Thackeray insisted,” Somaiya said, without naming the person but indirectly targeting Sudhir Mungantiwar.
However, Somaiya emphasised that he remains valued in the party. “The Chief Minister takes care of me. The Union Home Minister has provided me security. What more do I need?” he added.