Relieve me: Shehzad Poonawalla presses BJP to accept resignation in 2nd letter

Shehzad Poonawalla said he had made a final decision to leave BJP responsibilities and move to the private sector, citing pressing personal and financial circumstances.

In Short

• Shehzad Poonawalla resubmitted resignation as BJP national spokesperson
• Cites financial and personal reasons for exit, but supports PM and BJP ideology
• Joined BJP in 2021 after Congress exit, noted as prominent Muslim party voice

Shehzad Poonawalla, who has resigned as the BJP’s national spokesperson, has once again submitted his resignation to the party, urging the leadership to accept it and relieve him of his organisational responsibilities.

In a letter to BJP president Nitin Nabin, which he shared on X, Poonawalla said he was grateful that the BJP had initially declined to accept his resignation and had asked him to reconsider his decision. However, after "long and hard contemplation", he said he had arrived at a final decision to press for his exit from the party role and active membership.

"The events of the last few days, courtesy certain individuals about whom I have told you in great detail, have forced me to reinforce and stand by my earlier decision," he said, without naming the individuals.

Poonawalla, who joined the BJP in late 2021, had emerged as one of the party’s prominent faces and among its most prominent Muslim voices within the organisation.

Explaining his decision, Poonawalla reiterated that he would move to the private sector because of "pressing emergency financial and personal circumstances". At the same time, he said he would continue to support the vision and work of Prime Minister Modi and the BJP "wherever possible and in whatever format possible".

"I am only leaving the Vyavastha, not the Vyakti or Vichar," Poonawalla said, indicating that his decision to leave the party organisation did not amount to a break with his political allegiance to Modi or the BJP's ideological framework.

Poonawalla stressed that his decision was not driven by resentment and expressed his "gratefulness, love, affection and highest regard" for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Nitin Nabin and senior leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP general secretary BL Santosh.

He thanked the BJP for the "platform and opportunities" it had provided him over the past five years.

Sharing the letter to the party leadership, he wrote on X, "In no other country and no other party would a story like mine, of a young, Pasmanda Muslim, non-dynast, even be possible".

The 38-year-old lawyer-turned-politician began his political career with the Congress, but rose to national prominence after breaking with the party and rebelled against Rahul Gandhi's election as Congress chief. He joined the BJP and became one of its most recognisable national spokespersons, frequently representing the party in television debates, press briefings and on social media.

He was also given charge of the BJP’s Delhi IT and social media department in 2021.

As a prominent Muslim face of the party, Poonawalla was often deployed to articulate the BJP’s position on contentious issues and counter the Opposition in high-profile political debates. He has now urged the BJP leadership to formally relieve him of his organisational responsibilities after his earlier resignation was not accepted.

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