Swords out in BJP's introspection on UP debacle

New Delhi, May 18 (UNI) As the BJP goes into introspection mode after its stinging defeat in the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, the swords in the party are out with leaders playing the blame game for the party's failure in the country's most politically sensitive state.

The BJP Parliamentary Board consisting of top BJP men have already conceded the reversal but none of the bigwigs in party are willing to take the blame. BJP's projected Chief Ministerial candidate Kalyan Singh has given up his charge of UP owning moral responsibility but has requested the party to devote at least three or four days to carry out a review in a detailed manner.

Leader of the Opposition L K Advani gave out his mind addressing BJP Parliamentary Party that the BJP failed to instil confidence in the minds of the people about the the party's ability to emerge as the alternative to ruling Samajwadi Party and end the 'jungle raj' in UP. Other senior BJP leader Dr Murli Manohar Joshi has sought the party to conduct a detailed study about its failure in terms of 'strategy and management' in UP.

The party's strength in the 403-member state Assembly not only dipped to 50 from 88 MLAs in 2002 elections and the party's vote share shrunk to 17.24 per cent from 20.98 per cent, party insiders said. The data shows that the BJP lost 17 seats with a margin less than 2,500 votes while being a gainer in at least five seats. The party stood second in 72 seats and third and fourth positions in 143 places. In four places, it was placed in sixth and seventh position.

BJP President Rajnath Singh, who put himself in the race for the Central leadership in the last Executive at Lucknow, wriggled out during the UP polls by declaring that Mr Advani was the 'natural choice' after Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Considering that both Mr Rajnath Singh and Mr Advani campaigned extensively in UP, the results have to be seen as a 'voice against this natural choice', one source felt.

Mr Vajpayee campaigned even for local body elections in Uttar Pradesh a few months ago at Lucknow, his home constituency for the Assembly elections.

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