New Delhi, Aug 23 (IANS) The Jaswant Singh episode shows that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is collapsing due to its "internal contradictions" following the Lok Sabha drubbing, the Congress said Saturday.

Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari told IANS: "The whole episode of Jaswant Singh shows that after rejection by the people the BJP is collapsing now because of its internal contradictions."

"The way the party is going into the hands of hardliners will further reduce its base," he said.

He also refused to comment on the Gujarat government's decision to ban Jaswant Singh's controversial book - "Jinnah: India, Partition, Independence" in which he has praised Pakistan founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah.

"It (the ban) is the result of their internal politics," Tewari said.

Tewari however rejected the contents of book in which Singh has praised Jinnah and held India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel equally responsible for the 1947 partition.

"I reject the contents of the book, it is not an academic exercise. Jaswant Singh has tried to re-position himself by distorting history," Tewari said.

Jaswant Singh, who has held defence, finance and external affairs portfolios in the BJP-led governments, was Wednesday expelled from the party for his controversial book.