New Delhi, June 19
Stage was set here today at the BJP office-bearers’ meeting for a stormy two-day national executive meet of the party beginning tomorrow, with senior party leader Arun Shourie shooting off a letter, alleging that the party has been taken over by conspirators.

Shourie, who had first attacked the Jaitley-Advani duo earlier this month, again raised the issue of principle of accountability and lack of transparency in the party. Sources said he also questioned how come Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha (Arun Jaitley) is enjoying a holiday abroad at a time when the party is holding such a crucial meeting.

Sources said Shourie, while addressing party president Rajnath Singh sought circulation of his letter among the office-bearers before today’s meeting. But while spokesman Prakash Javadekar implicitly acknowledged receipt of the letter, he did not specifically mention Shourie’s letter in particular.

Briefing media, Javadekar merely stated, “all letters have been acknowledged and will be considered with the seriousness they deserve. The party has entrusted the charge of letters to Bal Apte.”

Though Shourie was not there for today’s meet, it saw enough fireworks, with sparks flying between BJP general secretary Vinay Katiyar and Jaswant Singh over writing a similar letter by latter. Jaswant had circulated a letter among core group members at their meeting earlier this month, wherein he too had questioned the decision to “reward losers,” plus the relevance of Hindutva and the association with RSS.

Sources said Singh took grave offence at the suggestion that he was trying to undermine or sabotage the BJP. He is reported to have said, “I stand by every word I said. In last last 55 years of my political career I have never been charged with sabotage. I live by my honour. We Rajputs live by honour and die for our honour.”

Apart from Shourie and Jaswant, former vice president Yashwant Sinha too sent in his five-page resignation letter raising identical issues.

Then there is another anonymous letter, ostensibly written by some party activist, sent to members of the national executive which has charged the Jaitley group of not just mismanaging the elections but also indulging in favouritism and corruption in distributing party’s election advertisements.

Realising the overwhelming demand for discussing the electoral defeat, today’s meeting decided to allow a discussion on the elections.

But today’s meeting decided that a “free and frank discussion” on the reason for the defeat will be allowed, as long as it does not get acrimonious and people don’t level personal charges,” said a party insider. “It will come up during the report from the states as also during the discussion on the political resolution on Sunday,” said a BJP leader.

Apart from all the letters, there appeared to be a concerted drive against Advani’s entire think tank including Sudheendra Kulkarni. Party secretary Prabhat Jha has targetter such elements in the latest issue of BJP organ Kamal Sandesh. He wrote, “Those who are not party workers get excited by victory and despaired by its defeat. A worker on the other hand works selflessly without caring for victory or defeat.