'Mere Paas Rent Dene Ka Paisa Nahi Hai': Shehzad Poonawalla Explains Why He Quit BJP; Cites Rising Financial Pressures

New Delhi: Former BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla has opened up about his decision to leave the party, citing financial pressures, rising living expenses and the demands of full-time political work that left him with little time to pursue other sources of income.

Speaking in an interview with NDTV, Poonawalla said his decision was driven by practical financial considerations rather than a lack of commitment to politics. He pointed out that his political position did not exempt him from meeting basic expenses such as rent.

Poonawalla Cites Financial Pressures

"Mera makaan maalik mujhe kewal BJP ka neta hone ke liye free rent nahi deta. Mere makaan maalik ne bola bhai rent dena padega. Mere paas rent dene ka paisa nahi hai (My landlord does not give me free rent just for being a BJP leader. My landlord said, brother, you will have to pay rent. I don't have money to pay rent),” Poonawalla said, underlining the financial realities he faced while working full-time for the party.

Used To Work 24/7 For BJP: Poonawalla

Poonawalla said his work for the BJP had effectively been a 24/7 commitment, leaving him with little opportunity to take up other professional assignments or build an alternative source of income. "BJP mein jab tha toh 24/7/365 yahan pe karte the kaam. Toh aur kuch karne ka mauka nahi mila (When I was in the BJP, I used to work 24/7/365 here. So, I didn’t get the opportunity to do anything else),” he said.

The former spokesperson also stressed that he came from a middle-class background and did not have inherited wealth or a political family to fall back on. In such circumstances, he said, maintaining personal savings and financial stability was important.

Leadership Asked Him To Reconsider

According to Poonawalla, he had communicated his concerns to the BJP leadership well before formally stepping down. He submitted his resignation on July 30, but the party leadership initially asked him to reconsider and explore other options. After reflecting on the matter, Poonawalla said he ultimately decided to proceed with his resignation as no viable alternative emerged.

He announced his resignation earlier this week, ending his five-year association with the BJP. He stepped down from both the post of national spokesperson and the party’s active primary membership, citing personal and financial circumstances.

Poonawalla’s departure comes after years of his prominent participation in television debates and public political discourse as a BJP spokesperson. His explanation has now put the financial challenges of working as a full-time political functionary at the centre of his decision to move to the private sector.

He said his next step would be to seek employment in the private sector, signalling a shift away from full-time party politics as he focuses on rebuilding his professional and financial stability.