Murmurs are finally getting louder within the BJP’s Delhi unit against its president, O P Kohli, days after the party drew a blank in the Capital’s seven Lok Sabha seats.

The RSS, seen as backing Kohli, has also called Delhi BJP leaders to explain the washout. This, in fact, was BJP’s second consecutive hands-down defeat within six months, after Sheila Dikshit romped home, riding the numbers, in last November’s Assembly elections.

In their weekly meeting, BJP district presidents have questioned Kohli’s role in the run-up to the general elections. Kohli has till date managed to deflect responsibility by claiming that the washout was a result of a pro-Congress wave. But party insiders said he has conveniently omitted that BJP got only 35 per cent votes — down 2 per cent since the Assembly polls.

The party’s office-bearers are now gunning for Kohli to own up responsibility for the dip in vote share.

Significantly, Kohli was brought in to replace Dr Harsh Vardhan to stem the “rot” in the Delhi unit after the Assembly polls. The party’s central leadership felt Kohli, who had strong backing of RSS, will be able to motivate the kar sevaks and cadres in time for the Lok Sabha polls.

But leaders are now questioning Kohli’s style. Karol Bagh district president Ravinder Gupta has reportedly questioned why Kohli “misled” the party workers by constantly claiming that BJP would win all seven Lok Sabha seats. He alleged that Kohli and his team were fighting closed-door elections.

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