Factionalism, break-up with SAD cost BJP dear in Hoshiarpur

Sanjiv Kumar Bakshi

Hoshiarpur, June 5

The defeat for BJP from Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha constituency which put the party at number three position, has brought about introspection. While contesting the election without an alliance with Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) cost the BJP dear, factionalism also played a pivotal role in the defeat. BJP district president Nipun Sharma said introspection will be done, and a detailed report sent to the high command for action.

It is the first time after the SAD-BJP alliance came into being almost a quarter of a century ago that the Shiromani Akali Dal contested the Lok Sabha election from Hoshiarpur. The SAD had fielded its tested four-time MLA and former minister Sohan Singh Thandal in the poll. There were speculations that the SAD contestant alone will make a major dent in BJP votes as compared to last elections when both parties were in alliance, and so it happened too. BJP candidate Anita Som Prakash trailed by 1,03,865 votes while a major chunk of it was grabbed by the SAD candidate, who got 91,789 votes.

Adding to the woes of BJP was the prevalent factionalism among party leaders and workers which spoiled the game. During the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his rally at Hoshiarpur, the leaders of some rival fractions of the BJP were present, yet leaders of at least two more such factions, including former Union Minister of State and former MP of Hoshiarpur Vijay Sampla, did not have a place on the dais. Also, during the campaigning, most of them were missing and the whole campaign was conducted and managed by some selected leaders from the Tikshan Sood-led faction of the BJP, while the other factions were reportedly not taken into confidence.

Leaders and old workers of the party belonging to factions other than that of Tikshan Sood were mostly not visible during the campaigning. They alleged that the campaign was hijacked by one faction only. One such leader, requesting anonymity, said, “The whole campaign of the BJP candidate was hijacked by selected people representing a particular faction. We were given no importance, and we were deliberately not involved in campaigning. Not only this, we were made to sit at home giving no chance of participation in the campaign and not even approached by anyone to campaign. There was definitely a lack of communication and connect within the party and with the public on the part of incumbent MP Som Parkash.” Non-fulfillment of the poll promises on completion of medical college, tertiary cancer care hospital and industrial package for Kandi area too caused resentment among voters.

Also, inclusion of an expelled woman leader back into the BJP fold without taking into confidence former MP and former national vice-president of the BJP Avinash Rai Khanna, caused great resentment among BJP leadership. As a result, many of his staunch supporters, including Dr Raman Ghai, Manoj Sharma, Gyan Bansal and others who had held important responsibilities in the BJP, had left the party a few days before polling. Even on the day of PM’s visit, a large group of youth BJP leaders had left the party.

Asked about it, district BJP president Nipun Sharma told this correspondent, “We will examine and introspect about the shortcomings and steps will be taken to improve. No doubt there were great lapses within the party and in conducting the campaign. All these things will be looked into and reports about the persons and factors responsible for the defeat will be sent to the high command. Action will be taken accordingly.”