The Hindu : New Delhi News : BJP undecided on launching water, power agitation

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 27, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

BJP undecided on launching water, power agitation

By Sujay Mehdudia

NEW DELHI, MAY 26. In view of sharp differences and intense infighting, the Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party is still undecided on launching an agitation against the Sheila Dikshit Government over the issue of shortage of water and power in the Capital. The party's meeting called on Tuesday evening for this purpose turned into a "free for all'' affair resulting in the failure of the state executive committee to get the resolution on condemnation of the Sheila Dikshit Government on power and water front passed.

Perhaps this is one of the reasons that led the BJP MLA from Saket, Vijay Jolly, to launch an agitation on shortage of water in his area on his own. Mr. Jolly along with his supporters is holding a demonstration in front of the Delhi Jal Board office at Jhandewalan tomorrow to protest the acute shortage of water. Insiders in the party said the meeting to discuss launching of a people's movement against the Congress Government on the issue of water and power turned into a nightmare for the local party leadership. In fact, the mood in the party and among the local leaders was of strong resentment against certain individuals who continue to run the show without taking into confidence the leaders at the local level. The issue of water and power crisis was totally sidelined and the leaders unleashed their ire on the ineffective functioning of the party and wrong decision-making.

Interestingly, it is learnt that one of the leaders said that any resolution to condemn the Sheila Dikshit Government should be held back as it was not the right time for such a move. The electorate of Delhi, he argued, had only recently rejected the BJP decisively in the Capital and the party would look foolish stating that the people had lost faith in the Congress Government and it had failed to perform.

However, a majority of the leaders were also of the view that the party was not in a mood for serious self-introspection and the manner in which the proceedings were run in yesterday's meeting made it clear that there was no effort to identify the reason for defeat in the Assembly and Lok Sabha polls and the party leaders were just going through the motions. They were also critical of the party general secretary in-charge Delhi, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, for trying to evade uncomfortable questions and not giving a proper hearing to the local leaders. ``As usual the meeting was cut short on the plea that Mr. Naqvi had to leave for an important meeting. He should have come prepared to sit and listen to the grievances of the workers. This will not help the party's cause and the downslide will continue,'' a senior party leader remarked. Such was the anger among the party leaders and cadres that they did not even allow the resolution condemning the Sheila Dikshit Government for shortage of water and power to be passed.

There were also questions raised about the leadership issue in Delhi and the total lack of coordination between the party and those who contested the Lok Sabha polls. Interestingly, some of the former Members of Parliament gave the plea that the Muslims and those living in the relocated or original JJ clusters did not vote for the party.

However, some of the partymen countered this stating this was only an excuse to save themselves from the wrath of the party high command as these two categories of voters had rarely voted for the BJP in the past. In fact, many of the party leaders feel that the central leadership was not serious about Delhi and the failure of Mr. Naqvi to patiently hear out the partymen was an indication in this regard.

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