Shehzad Poonawalla, a long-time spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has resigned from the party, sources told CNN-News18. They said he had submitted his resignation letter to the BJP’s top brass, citing personal reasons.
According to sources, an official statement will be released soon. Known for his sharp debating skills, Poonawalla has been a vocal spokesperson of the BJP and a staunch follower of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In his bio on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), he describes himself as a “lifelong follower” of PM Narendra Modi. However, it lacks mention of the BJP.
My updated bio : pic.twitter.com/qGG5s9WMOG
— Shehzad Jai Hind (@Shehzad_Ind) July 30, 2026
However, Poonawalla’s bio on Instagram continues to describe him as a National
Spokesperson of the BJP.
Poonawalla, 38, on Thursday reshared an earlier interview with CNN-News18’s Pallavi Ghosh and Payal Mehta in which he had outlined his plans for the future of his political career.
“I’ve been engaged in active politics for approximately 18–19 years. I started at such a young age, so I’ve now completed 18–19 years in active politics. In terms of my capacity, I think I’ve reached where I aspired to be. In 2024 itself, I had thought that after Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office for a third term, I’d move away from active politics”, he had said.
— Shehzad Jai Hind (@Shehzad_Ind) July 30, 2026
“However, after 2024 Lok Sabha win, I realised there was a certain emotion that reflected on PM Modi’s face. Although he’s beyond all this, we concluded that we would strive to win the upcoming elections over the next 1-2 years (Delhi, Maharashtra, West Bengal) and send out a message. After this, I thought time had come for me to leave active politics and move on”, Poonawalla stated.
Who Is Shehzad Poonawalla?
A lawyer and civil rights activist, Poonawalla began his political career with the Congress, but shot to prominence in 2017 after he publicly rebelled against the internal election process of the grand old party, labeling it “rigged” to favor Rahul Gandhi’s elevation to the president post.
The public fallout resulted in the Congress party and even members of his own family, including his brother Tehseen Poonawalla, publicly distancing themselves from him. Subsequently, he jumped ship to the BJP, where he was appointed as a national spokesperson to present the party’s stance on key socio-political matters.
