Discontent in BJP ranks on UP reverses comes to fore

New Delhi, June 25 (UNI) Differences among BJP ranks came to fore on the opening day of the National Executive even before it sat down to analyse the party's debacle in Uttar Pradesh.

While former general secretary Sanjay Josh, now only a member in the Executive preferred to stay away from the meet on the grounds that time allowed for discussion on the party's performance in Uttar Pradesh was inadequate, the party's projected Chief Ministerial nominee Kalyan Singh was not even allowed to speak out his mind in the meeting when it clubbed discussions on all Assembly polls held since the last meeting. Mr Singh reportedly sought special discussions on the issue at the Executive through a letter addressed to the BJP President, sources said.

BJP General Secretary Ravishankar Prasad allayed reports emanating from a section that Mr Joshi had been removed from the National Executive while affirming that he was very much a member of the today Earlier there were reports suggesting that he had been removed from the RSS Pracharak's post which was denied by the RSS.

Both Mr Joshi and Mr Singh could not be contacted for their comments.

BJP Spokesman Prakash Javadekar refused to confirm repeated questions of newspersons whether Mr Singh was allowed to speak in the Executive, except to describE the discussions as 'healthy'.

Mr Javadekar said the results in UP were not upto the party's expectation, where the voters were looking for an alternative to Chief Minister Mulayam Singh. The BJP had lost out when votes got polarised, he claimed As far as Goa was concerned, the party was still a principal Opposition party falling short of a majority by six seats. At least four seats were lost because of 'local reasons', he contended.

Sources said the partymen were sore about the inadequate opportunity given to them in contrast with two outsiders -- Dr Kalyan Raman (who spoke on Ram Sethu) and noted rice expert Dr M S Swaminathan for discussing results of the states of Uttarakhand, Punjab, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Goa and a north-eastern state.

Earlier in the day, Mr Rajnath Singh said the results in UP were 'unexpected and shocking' while in Goa, the BJP did not get expected success. He, however, wanted the BJP to seize UP reverses as an opportunity to make the organisation alert and stable.

''We have honestly analysed the results and factors are identified.

All of us have to jointly work in eliminating them,'' he said.

Mr Rajnath Singh also suggested the Election Commission to call for an all party discussion to ponder over if there was any chance of devising a system where simultaneous elections could be held for Lok Sabha as well as State Assemblies to save time and money and making the system healthy.

UNI