Former BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla has ruled out returning to the Congress, the party he left in 2017. He made the remark while discussing his political future after resigning from the BJP. Poonawalla said he would consider returning to Congress only if Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were removed from the party and it apologised for Jawaharlal Nehru’s actions.

Poonawalla also rejected the suggestion that he was preparing to join another political party after leaving the BJP. He praised the BJP and described it as the best political party in India at present. He also expressed strong support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he believed there had been or would be no greater leader in the country. His resignation from the BJP has not yet been formally accepted by the party leadership.

Explaining his decision to leave the BJP, Poonawalla said financial circumstances were an important factor. He recalled moving from television anchoring into politics and said his current role was no longer financially sustainable. He pointed out that political parties do not pay spokespersons or ordinary workers, while personal expenses such as rent continue regardless of political responsibilities.

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Poonawalla said he had been discussing the possibility of leaving full-time party politics since 2024. He described his work as a national spokesperson as a demanding responsibility that required him to remain available virtually 24 hours a day throughout the year. According to him, continuing in the same role was no longer practical, prompting him to explore alternative professional opportunities.

The former BJP spokesperson also described himself as a first-generation politician without a political family background. He said people often assume politicians enjoy financial advantages because they are accustomed to seeing established political families dominate public life. Poonawalla argued that politicians without such a legacy have to find their own ways to sustain themselves while pursuing a career in public life.

Poonawalla's comments come as he prepares for a new phase after his departure from the BJP. Speculation about his political future had increased after he removed references to the party from his social media profile. While he has ruled out returning to Congress under its present leadership, his remarks indicate that he may now focus on opportunities outside conventional party politics while deciding his next move.

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