The BJP president was here to attend the civic reception accorded to State Legislative Council chairman N S Pharande on September 24. The Public Works Minister Nitin Gadkari was in the city the same day to attend the inaugural ceremony of the construction of Ahmednagar-Karmala road, a project entrusted to the private sector. However, the State leadership chose to ignore the function organised by one of its ministers. Gadkari was not even invited to attend the reception.

Although Ahmednagar is not a fortress of the BJP, the district has given the party two State presidents, Pharande and Suryabhan Wahadne. The party leadership also did not ensure the presence of the national president at the function to inaugurate a prestigious State project. The presence of Thakre and the state BJP leaders would have politically benefited theparty. The absence of coordination has showed that all is not well with the party in the State.

The launching of the work on the Mumbai-Pune road was attended by Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray. The question being asked is why Kushabhau was not invited to attend a similar ceremony when he was already in the city. Pharande as well as Wahadne were aware of the PWD function and therefore, they could have coordinated and ensured the presence of Thakre at both ceremonies. But instead of inviting the BJP president for the prestigious ceremony, he was asked to be a chief guest at a function of minor importance -- inauguration of a credit cooperative society!

In the state BJP unit, Gadkari belongs to the group led by Pramod Mahajan and Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde and therefore, the rival group had chosen not to associate itself with Gadkari's function. But this infighting has adversely affected the party's image.

Pharande commands respect in Ahmednagar district. However, the Sangh Parivar believes thatPharande is not loyal to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh whereas Gadkari is a staunch RSS leader.

However, the BJP district chief Shyam Jaju has issued a statement, clarifying that there are no differences in the state BJP. He has said the civic reception to Pharande was attended by all MLAs in the district and leaders of various political parties and that it was an apolitical function.

The statement said that coincidentally, there was another function at Mirajgaon, which was attended by Gadkari. It was not possible for all the VIPs to attend both the functions, the statement said. Gadkari had to attend another function at Karmala and therefore, he was not invited to the civic reception, the statement added.