BHOPAL: Jolt to BJP in Jhabua by-elections has triggered internal infighting in the party. Leaders, who have been neglected and marginalised for a long time in the party, have pounced on the opportunity to settle their scores with state party chief.
Party MLA of Sidhi Kedar Shukla targeted state chief Rakesh Singh no sooner the results was out yesterday. Shukla called Singh incompetent and demanded his resignation. Although the party issued a notice to Shukla terming his statements as one of indiscipline but despite this senior BJP leader Raghunandan Sharma, too, cornered Rakesh Singh stating party should talk to Shukla instead of serving notice to him.
Sharma said, “Whosoever is responsible for humiliating defeat in Jhabua by-elections, should take accountability. If leaders are shrugging of their responsibility, it is not good for the system in the party. Party state unit should rather introspect the reasons as to why Shukla took to spewing venom on the state head of the parties.”
Sharma said, “Rakesh Singh, Suhas Bhagat and Shivraj Singh Chauhan should introspect that due to their internal issues, there is communication gap and just because of lack of communication, such situation arises when member start making comments outside the party instead of expressing views within the party. There must be analysis of Jhabua by-election defeat.”
‘Lack of coordination’: Party members are raising the issue of lack of coordination in the party. They are equally targeting Suhas Bhagat with Rakesh Singh. Lack of proper communication of Suhas Bhagat with party members, is believed to be main reason for defeat of BJP candidate in the bypolls.
Ex-organisational general secretary Krishna Morari Moghe, Kaptan Singh Solanki, Makhan Singh Chauhan and Arvind Menon had proper and consistent communication with party members. Baring few, Bhagat does not have communication with party leaders. Bhagat had backed Atul Rai for appointment as joint organisational general secretary but after defeat in Vidhan Sabha polls, he has been removed. Indore divison’s organisational general secretary Jaipal Chawda had responsibility of Jhabua by-poll. Even before by-elections result, there was no change and Chawda was still there.
Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Narendra Singh Tomar, national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya visited Jhabua for campaigning. As per party leaders Congress leader Kantilal Bhuria had not taken huge lead and the results shows that elections management was not perfect.
