A letter claiming to be written by senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi to BJP patriarch LK Advani criticising the state of the BJP under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is being circulated vigorously across the social media. The screenshot of the letter has the logo of news agency ANI stamped on it, giving the impression that it was released through ANI. However, ANI has now claimed that the alleged letter written by Joshi is fake.
Statement: Screenshots of BJP MP Murli Manohar Joshi statement on his letter head is circulating on WhatsApp and Twitter with an ANI watermark. No such letter exists. This is fake.
— ANI (@ANI) April 14, 2019
ANI categorically stated no such letter exists and it is fake.
The letter which was falsely attributed to Murli Manohar Joshi claims that Joshi was unhappy about the present state of affairs of the BJP led by PM Narendra Modi. Written in Hindi, the letter also reads that the BJP has not performed well in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections and also not likely to outperform other parties in the upcoming phases. In the ‘fake’ letter addressed to LK Advani, Joshi claims that BJP will only secure 120 seats in the general elections.
Some of the social media users including Congress party trolls have been vigorously sharing these fake letter in an attempt to create a false narrative ahead of the second phase of 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
An alleged letter from MM Joshi to LK Advani, where he says BJP will not get more than 120 seats. And that people of India should know the truth. Explosive. Unable to verify the authenticity. https://t.co/nlwVqBMNQv
— Sanjukta Basu (@sanjukta) April 13, 2019
Explosive !
Murli Manohar Joshi’s letter creates an earthquake within BJP ranks. #bjplosing#ChowkidarChorHai pic.twitter.com/QCUy6ZsV9H
— LIAR MODI (@liar_modi) April 13, 2019
In that ‘fake’ letter, Murli Manohar Joshi’s name has been used to paint an unfavourable image against the BJP, especially against the Prime Minister. It says that Joshi had received offers from SP-BSP coalition to contest the elections. Since veteran leaders of BJP like Joshi and Advani was included in candidates list for the Lok Sabha elections, opposition parties and a section of media have been trying to create division in the party by claiming that Modi-Shah duo has been sidelining other leaders of the party.