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Cracks in Punjab unit of the BJP?

Staff Correspondent

A series of events in the State point that all is not well under the lotus banner

CHANDIGARH: A series of events point that all is not well with the Punjab unit of the BJP, as it prepares not only for the forthcoming Assembly

elections, but also to manage a "respectable" presence in its alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal.

The differences, which had been simmering for some time, spilled into the open recently, when the party's high profile MP, Navjot Singh Sidhu engaged the President of the state unit, Avinash Rai Khanna, who is also an MP, in wordy duel at the Raja Sansi Airport in Amritsar, where they had reached to see off the party chief, Rajnath Singh.

Intervention by other leaders prevented the situation from becoming ugly.

Contrary to expectations, former Union Minister, Arun Jaitley, who was made in-charge of party affairs in the State, seems to have not gained major ground to settle the attrition.

Rather a section of the party in the state, stop just short of accusing him of being partisan, something which the BJP top brass would ill-afford especially when the party continues to remain in the inertia it developed during the last five years of Congress rule.

Fissure

The vertical fissure in the BJP, starting from its Centre became visible, when Mr. Jaitley succeeded to stay away from at least four functions where Rajnath Singh had presided over.

His absence was noted at the Fazilka Kisan rally, workers' meetings at Jalandhar and Ferozepur as well at the Mehngai dharna.

Even at the farmers' rally organised at Batala by alliance partner, Akali Dal, while BJP President joined the stage, Mr. Jaitley stayed away.

Many eyebrows in the BJP's rank and file were raised, when last Sunday Mr. Jaitley avoided the election of the BJP's National President, in New Delhi. On that occasion he chose to hold meetings in Punjab and Chandigarh to review the preparations for the forthcoming elections.

It is noteworthy that while Mr. Jaitely decided to be busy on the day when Mr. Rajnath Singh was re-elected as party President, he surprised many by appearing at the Mahila Morcha rally in Abohar last month.

Earlier, he had been arriving at various events, which many in the party dismiss as inconsequential.

While the party's middle rung leadership and workers at the grass root level are anxious, those in the decision making mechanism, including Mr. Khanna dismiss "any such difference at any level."

"The absence and presence of Leaders at functions is a matter of availability and convenience. The programmes and schedules of party leaders are hectic and leave little room for possible accommodation of others' schedule. We must be fair to the business of the leaders," remarked a senior party functionary, who preferred anonymity on grounds of discipline.

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