Demoralised BJP workers call for leadership change

The BJP office in Lucknow looks deserted. No senior leader has visited the place after the Lok Sabha polls. The state unit chief does visit, but on the rare day when that happens, it becomes an occasion.

There’s an air of weariness and uncertainty among party workers. Says Ram Kumar Chaudhry, 58, who’s been with the party for a decade,  “I don’t know where the BJP is headed… everyday we hear reports of somebody challenging the leadership. How will we fight opponents if we fight with each other?” 

Up north in Rajasthan, it’s been an eventful fortnight for BJP. Leader of opposition in the assembly, Vasundhara Raje, has been asked to quit by the central leadership for the poor show in the LS polls. For the first time in six years, Raje looks vulnerable. But she still has Advani’s blessings and that’s what is keeping her in the party. Municipal polls are due in November and most party workers believe that recent events will remain in voters’ mind.

In Modi’s land, Gujarat, workers are worried how the squabble will reflect on by-elections to seven assembly seats in November. Well, they have every reason to feel apprehensive: The response to the member registration drive has been tepid.

Despite the turmoil, the BJP office in Mumbai looks busy. Reason: the forthcoming state polls. On a normal day, there will hardly be 10 people in the office at a time. Since last week, however, aspiring candidates have been hanging around the place. Most top guns — Gopinath Munde, Nitin Gadkari and Vinod Tawde — often visit the office.

On Thursday, workers were seen discussing seat-sharing with Shiv Sena. There was no mention of Jaswant, Shourie or Kulkarni, but one name kept popping up: Jinnah.
Workers are definitely feeling low in Karnataka, since the fight will harm any chances of dropping anchor in other southern states.

Workers feel that Shourie was right in demanding a overhaul. Said M Nagaraj, 35, a BJP worker for 8 years, “The leaderhship should not treat Shourie the same way as Jaswant since he has made a valid point.”

In Orissa, BJP workers feel uncertain about their future. “A restructuring is the need at the hour to regain workers’ confidence,” said a worker.

The BJP has negligible presence in Bengal and the current tamasha has demoralised the workers so much that they feel this will be another major hurdle in expanding its network in the state.