GROWING DIFFERENCES among leaders and factionalism in the Bharatiya Janata Party here took its toll when the State BJP leadership decided to dissolve both the district units in a late night development on Monday. North City district president Rakesh Sonker and South city district president Radhey Shyam Pandey along with other office-bearers tendered their resignation following directives from the State BJP.
Till the formation of the new district units in the city, organisation secretaries of the party in the North and South City areas have been entrusted with the responsibility of coordinating with the Assembly constituency incharge of the party in the city.
The stringent move by the BJP leadership was expected for the last couple of months as complaints of groupism and differences even at the level of senior leaders were continuously pouring in at the State BJP office in the State capital.
The differences grew so much, especially in the South City district unit, that State BJP president Keshari Nath Tripathi himself was questioned for his decision to visit an aggrieved party worker Rita Shastri’s house. Rita Shastri had accused the district president Radhey Shyam Pandey of misbehaving with her. She had complained about this to the State BJP president.
Not only this, there have been occasions when office-bearers of the South district unit have raised the voice of revolt against the district president.
{{/usCountry}}Not only this, there have been occasions when office-bearers of the South district unit have raised the voice of revolt against the district president.
{{/usCountry}}Seemingly, in North city unit too, clash of ego among senior leaders of the party has been responsible for the dissolution of unit.
According to senior party leaders, Cantonment MLA Satish Mahana’s dominance over the North city unit has become an eyesore for many. Several senior leaders like Neeraj Chaturvedi, Satyadeo Pachauri and Premlata Katiyar were hardly seen in party meetings and programmes.
Rakesh Sonker in any case was to leave the responsibility of the district president, as according to party sources, he has been given hints about getting the assembly ticket from Sisamau constituency. Sonker could now devote time among his voters in the constituency, said a party leader. However, dissolution of the unit could have been mainly because of factionalism.
Regional secretary of the party Hanuman Mishra said that Anand Swaroop, organisation secretary from North City and Sanjay Bajpai from South City would, till the formation of the new units, look after work of the party and coordinate with the Assembly constituency incharges.
According to a party leader it would be a test for the two organisation secretaries, as programmes like Vande Mataram, Udghosh Yatra etc had already been scheduled.