A former BJP MLA’s online event in support of Republican candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump was “postponed”, days after the BJP had distanced itself from the event and its organiser.
The event, a Zoom call scheduled for Saturday morning (Saturday evening IST), was organised by former Delhi BJP MLA Vijay Jolly. It was titled ‘ Donald Trump — Bharat aur America Sabse Acche Dost [India and America, the best of friends] ‘. The event notice carried the tag line ‘Support Trump — To Save America’.
The audience was to hear a speech by Indian-American businessman and prominent Trump associate and donor, Shalabh “Shalli“ Kumar. Mr. Kumar is also the Chairman of a group called the Republican Hindu Coalition.
A handful of individuals and the host, Mr. Jolly, had signed into Saturday’s online program. The notice posted on the call said it had been postponed due to Dasara celebrations. But the date of the festival was already known when the event was scheduled.
Earlier this week, the BJP’s foreign cell chief, Vijay Chauthaiwale had disowned the event, calling into question Mr. Jolly’s leadership in the party.
“It has been brought to my notice that Shri @VijayJollyBJP, self-proclaimed ‘senior BJP leader’ is organising online meeting supporting one of the two main presidential candidates of the U.S. elections. BJP has nothing to do with this event,” Mr. Chauthaiwale had said on X.
The event notice described Mr. Jolly as the president of the ‘Delhi Study Group’ and a “senior BJP leader”.
“BJP is very clear that U.S. elections is an internal matter of the U.S. and BJP is not supporting or opposing any candidate in that country,” Mr. Chauthaiwale had said on X.
The BJP has run into difficulties with regard to the campaign activities of its overseas affiliates in foreign countries, such as the promotion of the U.K.’s Conservative party by members of the Overseas Friends of the BJP in the 2019 U.K. election.
Published - October 12, 2024 10:23 pm IST
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