People's Democracy

on file

EVEN before taking the blow, the BJP has tried to cushion the effect. Appointment of leaders to assist the general secretaries in-charge of Bihar, Jharkhand and Haryana is being seen in party circles as a move to fortify the leaders against post-poll criticism or a question mark being raised about their status as party strategists who delivered victory.

The party’s internal assessment predicts a bleak future for the BJP in all the three states where polls are due, sources said. While the Congress-Jharkhand Mukti Morcha alliance is reported to have an edge in Jharkhand since the ruling NDA is battling incumbency, the situation is bleak in Bihar where the BJP has a marginal role being a junior partner of the JD-U. In Haryana, the party is attempting to feel the political ground…….

Now, no single leader can be blamed for defeat. The official explanation is that all senior leaders must assist in the campaign, something which was not done in the case of Maharashtra where Mr Pramod Mahajan ran the show single-handedly and was pushed to a corner after the debacle.

As if to prepare the party for a post-poll scenario, the BJP president, Mr L K Advani, has already ruled out his resignation if the party is defeated in the polls. “I have not become party president to resign,” he told the party’s mouthpiece. Bhajpa Samachar 

--- The Statesman, January 22

REVOLT broke out in the Bihar unit of the BJP over denial of ticket to former party MLA, Janardan Sharma. The central leadership of the party in New Delhi appeared concerned over the workers’ refusal to pay heed to BJP chief, Mr L K Advani’s call to maintain discipline and rise above individual aspirations.

Seething with rage, the supporters of Mr Sharma stormed the press conference of party general secretary, Mr Arun Jaitley, and heckled the state organisation secretary, Mr Harendra Pratap.

Slogans against senior party leader, Mr Sushil Modi, and state unit chief, Mr Gopal Narayan Singh, were also raised.

According to reports coming from the state, the angry supporters disrupted the press conference, climbed atop the table shouting slogans against Mr Modi.

--- The Asian Age, January 22