Gadkari denies seeking action against senior BJP leaders

Mr Gadkari also demanded strict action against those who make “irresponsible” statements that “damage” the party’s image. “There was absolutely no question of anyone asking for explanation from them, and not in the least demanding disciplinary action against them”. The light projection was highly successful and while led by Awaaz-UK involved a large number of groups including the South Asia Solidarity Group, Sikh Federation United Kingdom, Southall Black Sisters, Dalit Solidarity Network United Kingdom, Indian Muslim Federation, Indian Workers Association, Muslim Parliament, and Voice of Dalit worldwide. Kishor though did meet Arun Shourie, but the party does not seem to be in any mood to cajole the former minister. Sources said the RSS could also ask the BJP’s former general secretary (organisation) Sanjay Joshi to talk to the dissident faction, including Dr Joshi and Mr Sinha.

While all this worked in Alliance’s favour, the impact of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat statement of reservation too cannot be overlooked.

In an apparent bid to pacify party veterans, who have attacked the leadership of PM Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah, Union Finance Minister and BJP leader Arun Jaitley met senior BJP leader MM Joshi. The actor-turned-politician, who had been sulking after he was left out of the electioneering, said it was because of the “aggressive campaigning” by Modi that BJP fetched 53 seats. “Some of our senior leaders have raised certain issues”.

Venkaiah Naidu said: “It would have been better if issues were raised in the party forum and not in public”. We will discuss with all concerned. “That has been the practice”, Naidu said. BJP leaders work as a team for the election. “Be it Assam, Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, even Bengaluru, Andaman and Ladakh”.

PATNA, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar addresses media on October 10, 2015 in Patna.

It is clear that the sidelined elders are hitting out at the Prime Minister and Shah, who have established their stronghold within the party in the last one year. In 2009 also, we lost to UPA-2 when Advaniji was the leader. At an election rally in 2007 for the ruling Hindu nationalist BJP, Modi assured his citizens that Sohrabuddin “got what he deserved”.

“To say that everyone is responsible for the defeat is to ensure no one is held responsible”, the statement said on Tuesday. “The elections are fought as a party and nobody should be singled out for the defeat”, he added. “The results of the elections show that no lesson has been learnt, from the fiasco in Delhi”.

Today, BJP’s Lok Sabha MPs R.K. Singh and Manoj Tiwari faulted the party’s Bihar strategy and supported Advani and Joshi’s criticism. Nistish’s opposition to Modi was declared long ago in 2013 when he parted with the BJP from the coalition government as soon as the former was made the Prime Ministerial candidate for the BJP for the 2014 polls. Mr Modi’s silence and delayed response to all these crimes does nothing to stem the violence. “They need not insult the nation because of one or two isolated incidents”, he said. The trio, along with another senior leader, Shanta Kumar, had attacked the top BJP leadership over the party’s performance in the Bihar polls, and demanded accountability be fixed for the drubbing.

Dr. Sudha Ramachandran is an independent journalist/researcher based in Bangalore, India who writes on South Asian political and security issues. “But, god is thinking other wise”. “We are not a party of mother-son, father-son. That is what has been taught to us all these years”. According to JD-U leaders, Nitish Kumar will take oath as chief minister along with a 36-member council of ministers on November 20. Of course, we have not given the BJP a time frame. “That is the initial reading”.

“They must explain the reasons for the defeat to the party and if it’s not accepted, they must go”, the 76-year-old said.