The Hindu : New Delhi News : Wider representation to migrants, Dalits: Kalraj

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Aug 13, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Wider representation to migrants, Dalits: Kalraj

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, AUG. 12. After his first interaction with party workers and leaders from Delhi, the senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader in charge of Delhi affairs, Kalraj Mishra, today declared that in the changing political scenario the party would have to give wider representation to leaders from Poorvanchal, Uttaranchal and Dalits in the local set-up in order to emerge stronger and pose a serious challenge to the Congress in the Capital.

Having had a long stint in Uttar Pradesh politics, Mr. Mishra has been entrusted with the job of reviving the party's fortune in Delhi and boost the morale of the workers. "I am of the opinion that the pace and shape of politics in Delhi has undergone a major change over the past decade. No doubt the BJP is still very strong in Delhi, but it needs to give wider representation to people from various sections. Apart from the traditional Punjabi and Bania vote bank, importance should be given to those living in the jhuggi jhonpri clusters and migrants from Uttaranchal and Poorvanchal. They need to be projected prominently in the party and given better representation in order to ensure a wider appeal,'' Mr. Mishra told The Hindu.

Mr. Mishra said the old and new leaders should join hands to raise the level of performance of the party in the Capital. The old leaders should be respected and the new ones encouraged to take part in organisational activities in order to infuse new energy.

For instance, when the party organises demonstrations and protests against the Government, it has to be ensured that people from all sections and communities take part in them in order to make the exercise successful. Stressing the need to have unity in the party at all levels, Mr. Mishra said it was important that this should happen at the earliest.

Asked on the delay in wrapping up the organisational polls, Mr. Mishra said elections to the samitis are being held at present. He said the entire exercise would be wrapped up after elections to the mandals and district committees are held hopefully by the end of this month or early next month. At the same time, he said the BJP central leadership had not decided anything on the issue of the Delhi BJP president as yet. "Whoever is the new president will be a popularly elected one. If there is consensus on the issue well and good, but if there are two candidates in the fray then elections will be held.

There will be no imposition of any candidate from the top and it will be left to the party office-bearers and workers to decide on who they want to lead the party at this crucial juncture,'' he added.

Interestingly, Mr.Mishra addressed the first meeting of the party leaders and office-bearers on August 9 and made it clear that he meant business and would not play favourites to anyone.

He assured the leaders that total impartially would be maintained in the organisational polls, but at the same time felt that the party needs to project a new face in order to get back into reckoning.

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