BJP meet brings no fruit with senior leaders short attendance

Vrindavan, Jul 15 (UNI) The two-day Uttar Pradesh BJP state executive meet, considered important in view of the present political scenario, proved a damp squib with senior party leaders not turning up at the event.

BJP president Rajnath Singh, who was expected in the meeting today, remained absent reportedly to call on his ailing kin, however, other political sources revealed that he wanted to isolate self from group politics in UP.

Earlier, on March 10, Mr Singh did not turn up at a three-day party meeting at Gorakhpur.

Party members, who had organised the meet with much enthusiasm and were in high spirits as Mr Singh had to attend the meeting, were apparantly unhappy with the short attendance of the senior party leaders.

Alike, Mr Singh, BJP vice-president Kalyan Singh also remained absent in the meet, however, his close associate and party's women cell vice-president Kusum Rai today reached the site.

In the absence of Mr Singh, BJP's general secretary state in-charge Arun Jaitley will conclude the meeting, however, he is yet to arrive at the venue, party sources said.

Former state BJP president and National General Secretary Vinay Katiyar also did not attend the meet.

Another senior leader Kalraj Mishra, who was absent in the inaugural day, however, was expected today but he also did meet the expectations.

Party state unit president Ramapati Tripathi, vidhan mandal leader Om Prakash Singh, senior leader Lalji Tondon and Kesari Nath Tripathi were the only active members in the meet since yesterday.

Yesterday, the BJP drew an analogy between BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani and Lord Krishna terming all the workers to act as 'Arjun' to fulfil the party's goal to win the Lok Sabha polls so that Mr Advani could become the Prime Minister.

Party's state president Ramapati Ram Tripathi in his inaugural address on the two-day state executive meeting called each and every worker ' Arjun' and asked them to fix their target to fulfill the desired goal. He exhorted the partymen to take a vow in the birth place of Lord Krishna to take up the fight in the same manner as was witnessed in the Mahabharat.

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