Accountability for LS debacle demanded in BJP meet

Strong demands for accountability for the Lok Sabha debacle were on Sunday voiced at the BJP National Executive meeting in which party President Rajnath Singh acknowledged a qualified responsibility on his part and announced a Committee to go into the defeat.

Strong demands for accountability for the Lok Sabha debacle were on Sunday voiced at the BJP National Executive meeting in which party President Rajnath Singh acknowledged a qualified responsibility on his part and announced a Committee to go into the defeat.

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But the party chief as well as others made it clear there was no question of giving up Hindutva ideology or severing ties with RSS in the aftermath of the second successive defeat in the Lok Sabha elections.

Leaders like Arun Shourie and Jaswant Singh, who have been raising questions over the way the party was being run, raised the demand for a complete and thorough introspection into the debacle and not brushing aside of issues.

Shourie, in particular, was critical of party leader Arun Jaitley, whom he did not name, when he said that those responsible for the defeat have skipped the executive meeting, but would be doing the "chintan baithak" (brainstorming session) to be held after the Budget session of Parliament.

He also wondered why Rajnath Singh should take responsibility alone because there were others responsible for the defeat.

L K Advani, the party's failed Prime Ministerial candidate, was present throughout the day's deliberations, but will make his address tomorrow. Jaitley, the chief strategist in the election and blamed by many as one of those responsible for the defeat, was away vacationing in Europe.

Yashwant Sinha, who had last week attacked the party leadership, was also not present as he is no longer a member of the National Executive having resigned from all his party posts.