Wednesday, June 29 2005 14:11 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: A defiant Yashwant Sinha today (Jun 29, 2005) said he would not quit Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) but continue to raise issues of ideology and people while remaining within the party, which he felt had not taken his statements in the "right spirit".

Returning to the capital a day after his sacking as BJP spokesperson for his remarks against party president L K Advani and the Jharkhand Government, he told reporters.

"There is speculation that I am planning to quit the party. I am not leaving the party. I'll keep raising the issues that have to do with the ideology of the party and the problems of the people while staying within the party."

Sinha, a Minister in the Vajpayee Government, said his remarks in the wake of the Jinnah controversy, widely perceived to be against Advani, were not against him but related to the issue of ideology and the problems faced by the people of Jharkhand. It was a coincidence that the two statements came close to each other.

"It is obvious that the party has not taken it (his statements) in the right spirit. Otherwise it would not have relieved me of my responsibilities," Sinha said.

He said the party had done the "right thing" against him keeping in mind discipline.