BJP STALWART and former HRD Minister Dr Murli Manohar Joshi had some had some harsh words of criticism for his party. He said if the BJP did not meet present challenges soon, it would bite dust sooner than later.
Dr Joshi assessed the party thus, at a meeting with senior party leaders here, while en route to Mati to attend a programme. According to insiders, Joshi said the biggest responsibility and a matter of grave concern was the politics in UP was broadly divided between two poles — Mulayam and Mayawati.
While discussing party affairs in the State and efforts to put a check on the same, Dr Joshi expressed the present and the future of the party in one sentence.
He said: “If efforts were not made to improve the situation, the party was set to go into oblivion.” While discussing State affairs, he said that with the change of guard at the national level in the BJP, the priority was to regain the lost glory of the party in State.
He expressed concern that the problem was not that the party has gone on the verge of extinction but the fact that whenever there was a discussion of changing government in the State, no one was talking about BJP.
{{/usCountry}}He expressed concern that the problem was not that the party has gone on the verge of extinction but the fact that whenever there was a discussion of changing government in the State, no one was talking about BJP.
{{/usCountry}}He said the way both Mulayam and Mayawati were spreading their base in the State, the politics in the State remains divided between the two poles. His concern was over the fact that people were thinking of Mulayam’s option in the form of Mayawati and vice-versa. This was a clear indication that the people were sure that the BJP would not be able to reach the majority figure in the State.
He also said that circumstances for the party were dangerous in the State, keeping in mind the next Assembly elections and if nothing concrete was done, the BJP was sure to lose whatever it was left with. Discussions were also held on ways to overcome the same. In this regard, Dr Joshi directed all party leaders to search for an issue, which could bring the party close to the masses. On this, some came out with unemployment, some on terrorism, however, it was soaring prices which according to Dr Joshi, would help the party a bit to regain lost ground. He asked party leaders to hit the streets with the issue of price hike.
While browsing issues for uplifting the party, Dr Joshi continuously reiterated that the issue should be such that the same should come too heavy on the caste politics of Mulayam and Mayawati.
Whatever may be the outcome of the meeting, one thing became clear, the party wants to become a third option in the State politics, come what may.
Those present in the meeting included Jagatveer Singh Drone, Ravindra Patni, Baburam Shukla, Prakash Pal and Rakesh SonkerSonker besides others.