New Delhi, September 18, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Former BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla has said he had been planning to return to the private sector after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, but continued working with the party for more than two years because of the political situation that followed the polls.
Poonawalla, who resigned from the BJP in August citing personal and financial circumstances, said in an interview with IANS that the idea of leaving politics had been on his mind since 2024. His decision to return to the private sector was also reported at the time of his resignation.
“After the 2024 elections, it was in my mind to transition to the private sector,” Poonawalla said, explaining that he had entered politics in 2021 after working in the media and had previously drawn a regular salary.
He said that after dedicating himself to politics full-time, he assessed his savings and the financial sustainability of remaining active in politics. According to Poonawalla, this led him to conclude that he would be able to continue in active politics only until the end of 2024.
“If you look at my earlier videos and statements, my intention had always been to leave politics after the 2024 elections and re-enter the private sector from where I had come,” he said.
However, Poonawalla said the BJP’s performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, when it won 240 seats on its own, and the political developments that followed prompted him to postpone his decision.
“Given the post-2024 election situation, where the tally stood at 240, I felt that leaving at that critical juncture would not be right. There were also crucial state elections approaching, and I wanted to contribute as much as I could,” he said.
He said he eventually decided to move into the private sector after the West Bengal elections.
Poonawalla also said that seeking an elected position had never been his objective in politics.
“My goal has never been to become an MP or an MLA. I do not work for positions; I work for a mission and a vision,” he said, adding that he continued to support the BJP’s mission and vision but did not seek titles or organisational posts.
His resignation from the BJP followed an earlier request to step down that the party had initially asked him to reconsider. Poonawalla subsequently submitted a second resignation and described the decision as final.
On the controversy surrounding a documentary related to Umar Khalid, Poonawalla criticised those who, according to him, portray Khalid as a hero while questioning the standing of other prominent Indians. He also referred to former BJP leader Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and her legal cases while making his criticism.
Poonawalla also made sharp remarks about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying Gandhi could become Prime Minister of another country but not India. He further claimed that Narendra Modi would return as Prime Minister after the 2029 elections and predicted a BJP victory under Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in 2027.
These statements were Poonawalla’s political claims and projections and do not constitute established future outcomes.
Commenting on actor Swara Bhasker’s remarks concerning the Supreme Court’s Ram Janmabhoomi verdict, Poonawalla said the judgment should be respected and criticised what he described as an anti-Hindu stance.
Bhasker had recently spoken about contacting actors Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Aamir Khan after the Ram Janmabhoomi verdict, saying she wanted to express solidarity with members of the Muslim community who, she said, felt distressed by the judgment.
Poonawalla’s departure from the BJP has since been followed by his return to public-facing media and entertainment activities, including participation in the second season of the reality show Rise and Fall.
FOLLOW NOW
