Differences within BJP on action against dissenters

NEW DELHI: The efforts of three former BJP presidents to suppress dissenting voices in the party, after senior leaders called for fixing accountability for the debacle in the Bihar polls, seem to have had only a limited impact.

Dissenting voices in the BJP continued on Thursday, even as seniors leaders seem divided on whether action should be taken against the dissenters.

Despite Union minister Nitin Gadkari’s warning that stringent action may be taken against those criticising the party in public, Bhola Singh and Shatrughan Sinha — who represent Begusarai and Patna Sahib, respectively, in the Lok Sabha — again made public statements holding the leadership responsible for BJP’s defeat in Bihar.

“From the prime minister down to other leaders, they all appeared ‘maryadaheen’ (undignified). We lost our way and fell hard,” Singh said, adding, “BJP was not defeated in Bihar, it committed suicide.”

Singh backed Shatrughan Sinha’s remark if the applause for a victory would go to the captain (party president) then the brickbats too should go to him.

Sinha took to twitter to voice his dissent. “...now that the verdict is out and we’re saddened by this humiliating defeat, we should not run away from fixing responsibility.”

Finance minister Arun Jaitley visited Joshi on Thursday evening, leading to speculation that the party was reaching out to the elders. But he said it was a personal visit.

Agencies reported home minister Rajnath Singh was of the view the party should not crush voices of dissent and that the views of veterans should be examined so that “corrective” steps could be taken.

Rajnath is reportedly of the opinion that party veterans have experience and have contributed to the growth of the BJP and so the party should listen to them.