Bharatiya Janata Party’s Bihar unit chief Nityanand Rai on Wednesday said making a “U-turn” would not guarantee a party ticket to Patna Sahib MP Shatrughan Sinha in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, PTI reported.

Sinha, who has repeatedly criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah, on Sunday praised Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for the Patna Metro rail project. “Highly appreciated and applauded,” he had said.

Responding to Sinha’s tweet, Rai said he was grateful to Sinha for his words. When asked if Sinha’s comment indicated a U-turn on Sinha’s part, Rai said: “People are wrong if they think that leaving the party and then returning to its fold will get them a ticket.”

Rai said the BJP gives election tickets based on its “policies of commitment to the people and the country”, reported The Times of India. “But everyone is welcome to stand by PM Narendra Modi and our party president Amit Shah.”

Rai said anybody who expresses trust in the leadership of Modi “is treated with love”. “But remaining in the party, making a U-turn is no guarantee for being considered for a ticket,” he said in Patna.

Shatrughan Sinha has made appearances at public functions organised by the Opposition, including a rally organised by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee last month. Sinha also attended an event organised by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in Chennai in which Opposition leaders had taken part.