Sudheendra Kulkarni, a key aide of senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani and previously of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, has ended his association with the party over “ideological differences”.

He, however, maintained that his decision had nothing to do with the expulsion of Jaswant Singh over his book “Jinnah: India, Partition, Independence”. Kulkarni said, “I decided to end my association with the BJP several weeks back. My decision has nothing to do with the unfortunate incident of Jaswant Singh-ji”.

Kulkarni, who began his political activism as a Communist, worked in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) during Vajpayee’s time and served as his speech writer, media adviser and political aide.