Despite a declaration made by senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders like BS Yeddyurappa, supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah, there is an increasing feeling within the organisation to examine the reasons for the party’s humiliating defeat in the crucial state of Bihar.
According to party sources, leaders like Rajnath Singh are not averse to listen to the “voice of dissent”, given their increasing number.
Following a joint statement issued by LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Shanta Kumar and Yashwant Sinha – seeking a thorough review of the BJP’s defeat in Bihar Assembly polls – Shatrughan Sinha and Bhola Singh have blamed its leadership for the “flop” show.
Joining the anti-Modi-Shah chorus, a few days ago, Lok Sabha MP (BJP) from Begusarai Bhola Singh had raised serious questions over the party’s poll strategy. “From the PM down to other leaders, they all appeared ‘maryadahin’ (undignified). We lost our way and fell hard,” Singh had said, alleging that during the campaign, local BJP leaders were sidelined and ignored. “There was no logic to raise issues such as beef and that firecrackers would be burst in Pakistan if the BJP loses. All this resulted in our defeat,” he had said.
In a new development to the growing fissure, Home Minister Rajnath Singh has reportedly come out in support of dissenters. According to a top-level party source, Singh was feels that veterans –Advani and Joshi –have experience and have contributed immensely to the BJP’s growth, so the party should listen to them.
The sources added that the Home Minister is said to be in favour of analysing what the veterans had said and decisions would be taken for the overall good of the BJP. Such decisions should be acceptable to all, sources said quoting Singh.
They added that Singh, also a former party president, is not averse to dissenting opinions being expressed within the party and feels that corrective steps should be taken rather than being crushed.
Singh is said to be of the opinion that party leaders, including veterans, should not express their views in public but raise them in the party forum, as making certain things public is not good.
Earlier, Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari had strongly defended Modi and Shah and demanded strict action against those making irresponsible statements and causing damage to the party’s image.
BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha, who has hit the headlines for making remarks against Modi-Shah, also stressed on fixing responsibility fot the debacle.
“Nonetheless, now that the verdict is out and we are saddened by this humiliating defeat, we should not run away from fixing responsibility,” the actor-turned-politician tweeted. “Right and high time to follow the friend, philosopher, guru, Guiding Light & his team of 4. Relay race has begun. Gang of 4-Bang on target,” he further tweeted.
Remarks of Sinha, Rajnath, Bhola Singh, Gadkari, Yeddyurappa come close on the heels of veteran leaders Advani, Joshi, Shanta Kumar and Yashwant Sinha, raising a banner of revolt against Modi’s leadership, saying that the party has been “emasculated” in the last one year and was being “forced to kow-tow to a handful”.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Arun Jaitley met senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi, in a bid to pacify party veterans, who have attacked the leadership of Modi and Shah following Bihar debacle.