Parmar's threat works

The resignation by former Rajya Sabha MP Kripal Parmar as vice-president of the state BJP, a day before the core group and state BJP executive meeting, created a furore within the party. Parmar did not mince words in stating that there was a deliberate attempt to humiliate senior leaders whose grievances were not being addressed. Sensing that more resignation could follow, the BJP senior leadership was quick to placate Parmar. All senior leaders mollified Parmar and asked him to attend the crucial meeting. The resignation, of course, was rejected. There were some who said Parmar had resigned to evade disciplinary action for having worked against the party candidate in the Fatehpur bypoll. Now, only time will tell if Parmar will have to face the music or go scot free.

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Political arrogance

The arrogance of senior functionaries of the ruling party has become a hot topic among party workers. They are accusing the functionaries of creating groupism within the party at the constituency level. Recently, a party functionary used vituperative language against a government official, much to the shock of many leaders. Seniors are hoping that the functionary will be removed from the important post he is holding after the BJP debacle in the byelections.

Poll rout meet a formality

The BJP’s much-delayed fact-finding committee meet to ponder over the causes of the embarrassing defeat in the byelections has been reduced to a formality. The problem of senior leaders being given a raw deal did not get attention. Though it is perceived to be the main cause of the widening rift among various factions, few lessons appear to have been learnt by ruling party leaders. BJP workers lamented that politics over room bookings in the Circuit House to embarrass senior leaders would fail to do any good. With the party’s not adopting its principles like one person, one post, such meets will do little to uplift the party’s sagging image.

Goof-up or deliberate?

Though the government sought a prompt explanation into the goof-up, resulting in former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal’s allotted room being changed, the incident has yet again exposed the chinks and lack of coordination between the government and the organisation. The change in the room, which irked Dhumal and his supporters, might not have been deliberate, but a wrong message has gone among party workers. “It might be viewed as a small incident but it reflects the complete absence of official accountability and the deliberate sidelining of senior leaders in the present set-up,” said a senior leader.