No personal invite: Sources said no party member was formally called, an SMS was sent to all informing Amit Shah's address
As the BJP celebrated its 35th Foundation Day, two of its founding members– LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi– were conspicuous by their absence. While Advani was in the Capital attending meetings of two parliamentary panels– Information Technology and Public Undertakings– Joshi had been away in Kerala. Advani's absence sparked off speculation on whether the 87-year-old leader had been invited at all.
Sources dismissed this saying formal invitations had not been sent to anyone. A general SMS was sent to all saying party president Amit Shah will address party workers on "sthapana diwas" at 10 am at 11, Ashok Road. But then, Advani and Joshi are founding members of the party. The only founding member present at the function was VK Malhotra, who had been informed of the programme by the Delhi BJP, according to sources. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, also a founding member, is ailing and has retired from public life.
The controversy underlines another departure from the past in the party, close on the heels of Advani's silence at the BJP national executive meet in Bengaluru. It was the first time that he was present at the party conclave and decided against speaking. Vajpayee, Advani and Joshi are members of a "marg darshak mandal (guidance committee)", which has neither met not been consulted on crucial strategic organisational issues.
BJP leaders maintained that Advani's guidance was still there for the party but were evasive on whether he had been invited for the function, which was attended by some union ministers, including Venkaiah Naidu, Thawarchand Gehlot and Dharmendra Pradhan besides party leaders.
Shah said the difference between Congress and BJP was that between "navnirman" and "punarnirman". He asked the party to take pride in the fact that a tea-seller can become a Prime Minister and a booth worker can rise to be a party president. He also sought the support of the workers to work unitedly for the success of the Modi government and counter the Opposition's "disinformation" campaign.
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