Delayed projection as alternative to Mulayam proved costly for BJP

New Delhi, Jun 26 (UNI) After having suffered in the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, the BJP today said there was a 'delay' in projecting itself as an alternative to discredited Samajwadi Party government headed by Mulayam Singh Yadav.

In the party's assessment after the passage of its political resolution at the National Executive, the senior party leader Sushma Swaraj said Bahujan Samaj Party projected itself as the alternative and got the required people's support. By the time BJP attempted to do that it was too late, she said.

Asked about the other adverse decision faced by the BJP in Goa, she said the results were not upto the expectation although the party lost the majority by a six seat margin.

The party drew lots of criticism for inadequate allocation of time for discussing poll reversals suffered by the party yesterday.

Former BJP General Secretary Sanjay Joshi declined to attend the meeting on the ground that time allotted was too little and senior leaders like Murli Manohar Joshi and Kalyan Singh could not express their views because of the rule that the leaders hailing from the states could not express their views on the situations in their home states.

While UP protests saw the light of the day with media taking note of the disgruntled voices, none seem to notice the absence of former Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel who chose to extend his stay in the United States. He was to attend anti Narendra Modi rally at Surat but chose to address the rally through mobile phone's.

The Executive also missed another prominent face -- BJP General Secretary Arun Jaitley who chose to take a holiday break abroad. He has protested against being sidelined after the recent reshuffle of prabharis where he was made in charge of Uttar Pradesh when he was expecting to be retained in Gujarat where elections are due in about six months.

UNI