How can I dare say something against party discipline?: Gadkari

Given a rising wave of hate speech, communalisation of politics and persecutions and marginalisation of minorities and the lower castes, Indian intelligentsia, larger sections of the media, writers, academics and secular sections of society have risen to the threat being posed by the various facets and formations of the saffron brigade to the pluralist and secular nature of the Indian republic.

The BJP’s performance in Bihar in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections was, in any case, much worse than its success in Uttar Pradesh.

While the official itinerary, including lunch with the Queen, is all on course there is a few worry in official circles about the Wembley stadium event because of the infighting in the BJP here.

Mr Naidu was commenting on BJP leaders openly attacking the leadership over the party’s rout in Bihar, where Nitish Kumar has won a third term. And they tend to grow fonder of their own political organisations.

Manoj Tewari, a lawmaker from northeast Delhi, who was one of the leading BJP campaigners, joined other BJP leaders in criticising the party’s campaign in Bihar and lauded the strategy of Janata Dal (United)-Rashtriya Janata Dal-Congress alliance as “undoubtedly better”. At least seven MPs from Bihar have supported the statement.

Modi must rediscover why he was voted into power and by whom, forcefully rein in the fanatics whose mouths are often off and running before their brains are engaged, and put the focus back on the agenda of development, growth, jobs, poverty and inequality reduction, and show evidence that his government understands it exists to serve the people and not lord it over them. He has visited the country often, both as opposition leader and as prime minister. He said that his party’s strike rate in Bihar in the 2010 assembly polls was close to 90 per cent – it won 91 of the 102 seats it contested. These statistics suggest that Bihar was a far more hard challenge for the BJP than UP even in 2014. This has been brought out openly by actor Shatrughan Sinha and quietly by leaders like Yashwant Sinha who had been warning of defeat for a while now. Also, the incumbent Chief Minister of Bihar, Nitish Kumar, is popular for getting things done, such as building roads.

“It would have been better if these issues were raised in the party forum rather than in public”, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu said on Friday. “The moral authority of the four elders is being overestimated”, says commentator Ashok Malik. Campaign talking points included questions about what Modi had actually accomplished in his first 18 months in office, and whether the average Bihari had seen any material change in his or her well being.

The statement also said that those who are responsible for the defeat can not be reviewing the reasons for the loss. After years of inertia under the previous Congress government, many hoped Modi would push through structural economic reforms, making it easier to build infrastructure or slim down state enterprises.

He said Modi has been instrumental in lifting the pride of the nation among the people of India and the world. The Guardian, in particular, has been carrying opinion pieces that are hard hitting and extremely critical of the Prime Minister.

Britain cut ties with Modi when he was accused of complicity in 2002’s bloody anti-Muslim riots in Gujarat, the state that he ran as chief minister.