Patna, (BiharTimes): Though the main opposition party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, showered praise on the outgoing social welfare minister, Parween Amanullah, and called her honest, dedicated and competent minister, who has no place in the Nitish Kumar cabinet she on Thursday joined the Aam Admi Party in Delhi.

After her decision to quit the Nitish Kumar government as well as the Janata Dal (United) and the MLA seat, rumours started doing the rounds that the BJP may try to woo her to its side. This impression was created, as of all the political parties, it was the BJP leaders, who were most vocal in hailing her move. Grapevine had it that she might even be made the BJP candidate from Kishanganj or any other Muslim concentrated parliamentary constituency of Bihar.

But by late on Thursday afternoon Parween announced her decision to join Aam Admi Party ending all speculations.

But the saffron party’s praise for Parween drew criticism from various quarters, who strongly contested her honesty. They bombarded former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi on social media for eulogizing Parween.

They cited the example of how she got BIADA land allotted in the name of her daughter after she became minister in the Nitish cabinet. The IBN-7, whose managing editor then was Ashutosh, now the spokesman of the AAP, even did a story on the BIADA land scam in which several NDA leaders were said to be involved. How can she then be called honest? This question may arise in days to come.

Rightly or wrongly, critics now even charge Parween that she used to take money from the Child Development Project Officers (CDPOs). They even cite the example of her clash with a CDPO a few months back. The lady officer even went to the police station to lodge an FIR against the minister, but the police reportedly refused. However, the Janata Dal (United) then strongly denied any charge against her.

Whatever be the veracity of the allegation the truth, according to many political observers, is that Parween is not the same person as she was before she became the minister.

Though, a few months back, she actually challenged Anant Singh, the controversial Janata Dal (United) MLA close to Nitish Kumar, for encroaching park land in Patliputra Colony of Patna, yet Parween, in the eyes of many, was no different from other ministers so far carrying security guards or maintaining the aura of a VIP is concerned.

So they doubt whether she would fulfil the criteria of AAP, which at least claims to be fighting corruption. But the UP unit president of AAP, Sanjay Singh, on Thursday praised her honesty as the minister in the Nitish cabinet. Like the BJP a day earlier, the AAP now has political compulsion to do so.

It is being said that AAP may field her from any Muslim concentrated constituency of Bihar––may be Kishanganj, which her father had once represented.

But the battle for Kishanganj is not so easy as it is now being represented in Parliament by Maulana Asrar-ul-Haque of the Congress Party. He is the leader of numerically strong Surjapuri Muslims.

But if AAP really puts her up from any Muslim concentrated constituency it would once again come under fire, as this new outfit often claims that it looks above the caste and communal politics.

Interestingly, while the BJP came out openly in praise of Parween––notwithstanding her father Syed Shahabuddin’s long association with Babri Masjid Action Committee––the othe secular parties, such as the Congress, RJD, LJP or Left parties do not find much virtue in her and did not deem it fit to defend her. Only Abdul Bari Siddiqui of the RJD said that her resignation is a pointer to the fact as to how things are going on in the Janata Dal (United).

The truth is that by praising Parween the saffron party in Bihar did not want to let any opportunity to criticize Nitish Kumar go. But the more interesting question is: will AAP really gain by roping in leader like Parween. Her three years long stay in the Nitish government has raised some serious questions over her credibility. But those close to her claims that she is honest and upright. Why should she resign if she was really minting money as a minister? they ask.

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