BJP postpones its National Executive meeting in Delhi; Vajpayee’s health further deteriorates

New Delhi, Aug 16: National Executive of the Bharatiya Janata Party which was scheduled to meet on August 18-19 in New Delhi has been postponed due to some unspecified reason. However, it is being said that due to the deteriorating health condition of former Prime Minister of India Aral Bihari Vajpayee the party has decided to call it off.

The National Executive meeting of the BJP was long due. It was decided by the party to hold it ahead of the crucial Assembly polls in four states - Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Mizoram - which are expected later this year followed by the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Party sources said that the BJP leaders are rushing to AIIMS to see the former Prime Minister whose condition is getting deteriorating with the passing moment. According to a senior BJP leader, the meeting that was scheduled for August 18-19 has been postponed but he refused to divulge the reason.

The last national executive meeting, a platform for the ruling party to set its national political agenda, had taken place in September last year. As per the BJP constitution, the National Executive should meet every three months and National Council after every three months, but sources said the meeting was delayed as party president Amit Shah was on a nation-wide tour to gear up the organisational machinery for the upcoming Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.

Some important decisions and road map for the next general elections were to be decided in this meeting. The party was expected to get feedback from its chief ministers of the ruling states and deputy chief ministers where it is in coalitions. The state BJP presidents were also suppose to present stock of the situation in their respective states.

Assembly polls are due in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh in October-November amid discussion of simultaneous polls with the Lok Sabha, while general elections are scheduled for next year.