Patna, Nov. 3: Senior BJP MP Bhola Singh today broke into virtual rebellion against the high command for being treated as a “meek pet” against his “yeoman sacrifice” for the party, saying he would no longer suffer in silence.

The upper caste Bhumihar MP from Begusarai recited couplets from Ghalib’s ghazal: “Humko un se hai wafa ki umeed, jo nahi jante wafa kya hai (I expect trust from the one who does not know what the trust/faith is all about).”

The 75-year-old MP added that he was aware of the outcome, or “sufferings”, after speaking his mind out. “But I will not keep silent,” he said.

The occasion was the second death anniversary of the BJP patriarch in Bihar, Kailashpati Mishra, where top leaders, including Murli Manohar Joshi, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Radhamohan Singh, Dharmendra Pradhan, Shahnawaz Hussain, Sushil Kumar Modi and Nandkishore Yadav, were on the dais at SK Memorial hall.

Bhola, a two-term MP who has also represented the Begusarai Assembly seat eight times, is believed to among the septuagenarian leaders who have been “sulking” at being ignored in the Narendra Modi-led dispensation on the ground of “advanced age”.

Moreover, he belongs to the Bhumihar community, Bihar’s powerful upper caste, that stays unrepresented in Modi’s council of ministers.

But Bhola used the occasion to publicly speak against the leadership without naming Modi or anyone else. “Yeh hamara ghar hai. Hum ne kurbaani dee hai. Koi ye na samjhe ki ham posua hain (It is my house. I have made sacrifices for it. Someone should not treat me as a meek pet).”

Bhola’s description of the BJP as “apna ghar (own house)” appeared misplaced as the leader started his lawmaker’s career as a CPI MLA and travelled through almost all the political parties — Congress, RJD and JDU before settling in the BJP.

Bhola added that he would keep on speaking if he was not taken “seriously”.

Bhola’s outbursts left a few in doubt that he was upset at not being inducted in the Modi cabinet and was expressing his frustration through innuendos and ghazals.

Surprisingly, neither the leaders occupying the dais nor the cadres opposed Bhola’s barbs. Only Radhamohan mildly tried to counter Bhola.

“We should feel contented that the party has done so well. Our success lies in the success of the organisation,” he said.

Sushil Modi recalled how Narendra Modi was humiliated at the hands of Nitish Kumar and how he succeeded in turning the tide against Nitish with the support of the people.