Bangaru ‘warning’ warms up cadres in Gujarat BJP

Bangaru ‘warning’ warms up cadres in Gujarat BJP
BASHIR PATHAN

GANDHINAGAR, JAN 14: BJP chief Bangaru Laxman’s ‘‘perform or perish’’ warning given to the Gujarat leaders during his two-day whirlwind visit has not only made the state leadership sit up and take notice of his straighttalk but has also raised the hopes of those vociferously pressing for sweeping changes in the party organisation and the government.

‘‘As stated in no uncertain terms by the president, the changes are most likely to be effected at the organisational as well as government-level by the month-end. This will have to be done to improve the image of both the organisational and executive wings of the party, which has taken a nose-dive due to the reverses the party suffered in the recent muncipal and panchayat polls,’’ a senior BJP functionary told The Indian Express today.

A minister close to Laxman said: ‘‘The party high command is most likely to direct Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel to go in for a reshuffle and a minor ministry expansion this month.’’ The time is ripe to do away with miniters not performing and change the portfolios of some others, the minister said.

Laxman, who was in Gujarat on January 10 and 11, had stated that some ‘‘corrective measures’’ will be taken by this month-end, and action will be initiated against party leaders and ministers responsible for the poll debacle.

At the state-level party workers’ convention in Gandhinagar, Laxman had even expressed serious concern over the ‘‘rampant corruption’’ in the party and the Cabinetters, which he said had brought a bad name to the BJP’s commitment to a corruption-free society.

In contrast to Bangaru’s candid views, BJP vice-president Jana Krishnamurthy, during his November visit to the State, had not only given a clean chit to Keshubhai Patel and state BJP chief Rajendrasinh Rana over the poll debacle, but had also played down the discontent among ministers, legislators and workers.

In his November 10 interview with The Indian Express, Krishnamurthy, who is in charge of Gujarat, had even gone to the extent of saying: ‘‘The party organisation is sound, with senior, experienced and dedicated leaders at the helm of affairs. In the government, Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel commands the respect of everyone.’’

Even during his four-day visit to the State later in December, the senior BJP vice-president sought to play at the gallery when he said: ‘‘Defeats and victories are secondary, what is more important for us is the service to society and the nation.’’

During his second visit, Krishnamurthy had freely interacted with a cross-section of party workers, leaders and even ministers and elicited their views on the state of affairs in the BJP and on what had gone wrong in the civic elections.

Several dissident leaders, including Union Textile Minister Kashiram Rana, had then met Krishnamurthy and demanded radical changes in the organisation and the state government.

The electoral reverses have generated friction between the organisational and executive wings of the party, both blaming each other.

Keshubhai Patel hardly misses an opportunity to shift the blame on to the organisation for the party’s poor showing in the civic polls, chiding party workers and leaders for having failed to highlight the government’s ‘‘achievements’’ during the poll campaign.