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ShareNew Delhi: The birth pangs of a possible generational shift in the BJP became visible again with senior party leader Jaswant Singh questioning the high command's policy of rewarding certain individuals with plum posts without introspecting and fixing responsibility for the party's unimpressive performance in the recent Lok Sabha election.
Taking everyone by surprise, including leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha LK Advani, Jaswant tabled a terse note at the BJP's core group meeting. He strongly objected to the party leadership's studied silence on debating the poll debacle.
Ostensibly, Advani's decision to continue as leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha and elevation of Arun Jaitley to an equivalent post in Rajya Sabha proved to be the trigger.
Jaswant's stridency has added to the shrillness in the voices of discontent being heard in the saffron party during for the last few weeks. Indicative of an impending power struggle in the " party with a difference" ahead of its presidential election later this year, Jaswant has left no one in doubt, as he later told a TV channel, that a successor to Advani should not be handpicked but "evolved".
He, however, clarified that he was not hankering after any post. The apparent dig was at the possibility of Jaitley being looked upon as a successor to incumbent Rajnath Singh.
The former Union minister did not hesitate in questioning the BJP's strident stand on Hindutva. "BJP lacks clarity on Hindutva. It has to be a current party and cannot be a party of yesterday," he observed.
Sources privy to the deliberations said that barring Advani no one present in the meeting, including Jaitley, reacted to the situation. Despite Advani's coaxing that the note be withdrawn as the issues raised by Jaswant would soon be discussed at the BJP's 'chintan baithak', the latter did not relent.
Interestingly, the BJP is slated to hold its national executive meeting in the capital on June 20-21. But a discussion on the poll debacle is not onthe agenda. Sources in the party said that a date for the 'chintan baithak' is still to be decided, indicating that the discussion on the party's poll performance was not on the cards in the near future lest it generates more heat.
Jaswant has not been the first to raise a voice of discontent. Earlier, other senior leaders Murli Manohar Joshi, Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie had, similarly, resented the elevation of Jaitley. Joshi had questioned Advani's decision to continue as leader of the opposition as he himself was eyeing the coveted post.
An interesting aspect of the high drama being witnessed in the BJP is the total nonchalance with which Rajnath is watching the situation. Since his term is coming to an end, he seems to be in no hurry to debate serious issues that are facing the party post-election, sources said.
