Ever since the Committee begun its probe, Boris tried to create an impression that his political detractors and opponents were out for his blood. In fact after the finding of the Committee became public, he irately accused the investigators of trying to drive him out, and claimed there was a “witch-hunt under way, to take revenge for Brexit and ultimately to reverse the 2016 referendum result”.

The nature of intensity and character of attack makes it clear that he has zeroed in on the incumbent Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as his prime enemy. Though he was indicted for misleading the House in the matter of Partygate, he preferred to target and blame Rishi Sunak’s government for rising taxes, not being Conservative enough and failing to make the most of Brexit. It is indeed inconceivable how could he link the performance of Sunak with his verdict.

This has been primarily aimed at deflecting the peoples’ attention from his deeds and play the victim card. His departure from political life comes less than four years after he won an 80-seat political majority. This is the worst kind of exit. It is not that Boris is not aware of the implication of the ouster. After he was shown the privileges committee findings against him earlier this week, he while blaming his political enemies for targeting him had observed; “It is very sad to be leaving parliament – at least for now – but above all I am bewildered and appalled that I can be forced out, anti-democratically, by a committee chaired and managed, by the Labour MP Harriet Harman, with such egregious bias”.

He is trying to portray himself as the victim is clearly manifest in his utterances; “Their purpose from the beginning has been to find me guilty, regardless of the facts. This is the very definition of a kangaroo court.” His using the word “kangaroo court” for privilege has been quite intentional. It is a provocation for the committee to act against him. It will simply boost his image of victim.

Boris intends to get back to the house. For this the Conservative must accede to his request of giving the ticket. By targeting Sunak he wants to project himself as a senior leader of Conservative party. None can goad him notwithstanding his wrong doings. Targeting Sunak has yet another dimension. He intends that other Conservative leaders must follow his line and do not listen to Sunak in case the PM recommends not to re-nominate him.

Boris’s resignation will trigger an immediate byelection in Johnson’s Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency. It was the second in a day for Sunak after Nadine Dorries resigned as MP for Mid Bedfordshire after her inclusion on Johnson’s peerage list was blocked. Labour sources view both the seats as winnable.

Boris wanted to demonstrate his following inside the party by instigating two other MPs to resign. It is expected that some hard core loyalists may follow the suit and tender their resignations. But it would prove to be counterproductive. Already the Conservative leaders have been accusing Boris of weakening the party. They allege that it was he who provided the opportunity to Labour Party to emerge as a viable contender to the power.

These leaders also did not endorse that the Committee indulged in witch hunt. They view Boris remark as an attempt to lower the prestige and standing of the committee. A committee spokesperson said it had “followed the procedures and the mandate of the House at all times and will continue to do so”. They hit back, saying Johnson has “departed from the processes of the House and has impugned the integrity of the House by his statement”. The committee will “meet on Monday to conclude the inquiry and to publish its report promptly”, the spokesperson added. Though the committee has representatives of Lib Dem, SNP Labour and other parties, the Tories have majority.

Johnson had accused his opponents of a “concerted attempt” to remove him from parliament. He said the privileges committee had produced a report that was “riddled with inaccuracies and reeks of prejudice but under their absurd and unjust process I have no formal ability to challenge anything they say”. He claimed that he “did not lie, and I believe that in their hearts the committee know it”.

Matt Fowler and Jo Goodman, the co-founders of Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice, said: “Boris Johnson’s legacy will be one of lies, self-interest, and most importantly the catastrophic mishandling of a pandemic leading to the death of 250,000 people, and the sixth worst Covid-19 death toll in the world. He may have resigned, but the devastating impact of his premiership and the pain caused by his deceit will live with each of us who have lost a loved one to Covid-19 for the rest of our lives.”

Boris who as the then prime minister did not bother for the welfare of the country and even did not hasten up the process of Brexit, was now projecting himself as the saviour. He is doing this purely with the intention to throw out Sunak from power. In his defence he is not hesitant to insinuate the Privilege committee. He said: The privileges committee is there to protect the privileges of parliament. That is a very important job. They should not be using their powers – which have only been very recently designed – to mount what is plainly a political hit-job on someone they oppose.’

Nevertheless Sunak is under growing pressure to bar Boris Johnson from standing as a Conservative candidate at the next election, as senior Tories accused the former prime minister and his allies of a coordinated attempt to derail the government. Some close aides of Sunak believe that the activities of a rump of MPs who remain fiercely loyal to Johnson are designed to cause maximum disruption in the Conservative Party.

Boris supporters had begun campaign in his favour and had already printed 40,000 leaflets to distribute to constituents. Some of the associates of Boris however nurse the view that Johnson would not be able to stage a comeback within the next five years. His supporters have already been deserting him after Sunak becoming prime minister. They feel in the existing situation it would gain momentum and more would leave him. Prime Minister Sunak is under pressure from the Labour Party for preponing the general elections this year as against January 2025 as scheduled. The opinion polls are giving the Labour a lead by more than double digit against the Tories in the national elections. Now the impending by elections to three more seats including that of Boris Johnson is set to expose the Tories further. (IPA Service)