Bhopal: Neglecting senior leaders may weigh heavily on BJP

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The assembly elections are just ten months away from now, but, for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), keeping its flock together has become more challenging task than facing the Congress.

There is anger among the BJP leaders as well as among its workers. To maintain a balance between the Scindia’s supporters and the old BJP hands has become a major problem for the party leaders. For that reason, ignoring senior leaders may heavily weigh on the party.

The BJP has always been a party that maintains a fine relation with its senior leaders. Before the elections, they generally woo the angry party workers.

Nevertheless, the senior leaders look unhappy this time, which may be a problem for the ruling dispensation.

Former state president of the BJP, Prabhat Jha, besides having a fine rapport with the party workers, is media friendly, but he has been pushed to the loop line.

Former chief minister Uma Bharti has links with women and with the people of other backward classes. Her connection with the Lodhi community is also well known. Apart from that, she has influence in Bundelkhand region. Still, she has not been given any responsibility.

Because of her agitation against the sale of liquor, the party leaders are maintaining a distance from her. Similarly, former minister Anoop Mishra, who is quite popular among the Brahmins in the Gwalior region, has been completely sidelined. His not getting any importance may cause trouble to the party. Several party leaders in Gwalior have already defected to the Congress.

Former president of the BJP’s state unit Vikram Verma is considered an influential leader. Verma is not seen in any meetings of the party.

In the same way, an important leader of Damoh, Jayant Malaiya, has been neglected. This was the reason that he had to show his strength on his 75th birthday.

Former organisational secretary Krishnamurari Meghe, Makhan Singh, Kaptan Singh Solanki and former MP Raghunandan Sharma are feeling neglected in the party.

Old hands treated like orphans: Raghunandan Sharma (with pic Raghunandan Sharma)

Former MP Raghunandan Sharma said the party was passing through a new phase.

It is treating the old hands like orphans, Sharma said, adding that the BJP leaders do not need the experienced leaders.

The party will seek vote in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and form the government, and if that does not happen, it will find some Jyotiraditya Scindia, he said.