VIVEK SHARMA
JAMMU: Top BJP leadership on Wednesday met a shocking and embarrassing situation when lower rung cadre raised a flag of revolt, making it clear that they were not averse to contesting upcoming Panchayat and Urban Local Bodies elections provided the sitting Members of Legislative Assembly remain off the campaigning. They conveyed a terse message to the leadership that the prospective candidates would opt out of elections if any of the MLA was deployed for campaigning in their constituencies.
Emphasising the logic of their demand, the grass roots level workers said the BJP legislators had not only lost support of their electors but their presence will infuriate the people and change equations in the elections, which are going to be a toughest ever proposition for the party in its once premier stronghold of north India.
Sources told STATE TIMES that a meeting, convened to discuss the strategy for ensuing elections to basic democratic institutions, turned virtually a battlefield with young workers heckling senior leaders, mostly MLAs. A semblance of discipline was restored only when top leadership asked the MLAs to remain quiet and allow the cadre to give went to their feelings. This followed unending series of accusations with the speakers launching scathing attack on the legislators for their arrogance as ministers, total disconnect with the workers and ‘large scale indulgence in nepotism and corruption’ during ten-month PDP-BJP rule.
Later the core group had two-hour closed door meeting with regard to government formation despite cold response given by PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti. Senior leaders discussed options other than aligning with PDP. The party is growing nervous as the deadline of April 16 is fast approaching before which the state assembly session must be convened to extend the life of the existing assembly.
A senior BJP MLA who attended the meeting told STATE TIMES, “Even though we are still in alliance with the PDP and have not decided to part ways but if Mehbooba Mufti continues to shy away from accepting the responsibility for too long a period we will have to explore the possibility of forming government with ‘suitable’ alliance partner”.
The BJP MLA, however, shied away from elaborating as to what could be the option and where from they will get the numbers.
Another senior BJP leader contested the claim of the MLA, saying the high command has, in fact, held out a tough warning to desperate legislators to restrain themselves from any sort of misadventure with regard to government formation. Elaborating, he told STATE TIMES in confidentiality that while Congress can never align with the BJP, the National Conference has already gone public saying that they cannot even think of going with the BJP, come what may.
The meeting assumes significance as a day earlier, RSS leaders snubbed senior BJP leaders including former Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh for failing to win hearts and minds of the electorate during their maiden term in office.
The meeting took place at the guest house of Institute of Engineers shortly after state BJP Chief Sat Paul Sharma along with Dr Nirmal Singh met Governor NN Vohra in Raj Bhawan. Dr Nirmal Singh is learnt to have skipped the meeting.
According to official sources the state BJP leaders went inside Raj Bhawan around 2.30 and remained closeted with Governor till 3.40 p.m.
During the meeting the state BJP leaders besides discussing the current political situation raised several issues related to peoples’ welfare and sought Governor’s intervention to redress their grievances.
