Amid Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi's successful bid to keep the party on the backfoot following the resignation of RSS pracharak Sanjay Joshi from the national executive, leaders in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday sung the unity tune. They made a strong case for strengthening the party organisation to provide a credible alternative to the people of India in the 2014 general elections.
Party president Nitin Gadkari emphasised the need for capable, effective, credible leadership with team coordination while BJP veteran and former deputy prime minister L K Advani, who is believed to be disappointed over the present state of affairs, exhorted party members to do everything to fulfil the people's expectations especially when they have been fed up with the UPA government.
On the other hand, Sushma Swaraj, leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha called for stepping up efforts both within and outside parliament against the UPA government. She insisted that party organisation be further strengthened ahead of 2014 general elections.
Arun Jaitley, the leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha asserted that the BJP must be ready with a plan and direction to restore the national economy and the national mood of anti-Congressim must be exploited and the NDA expanded. Jaitley also gave a call to prepare the BJP to be a cohesive and ethical party ready to give direction to the nation. He was more open and candid to tell party members to avoid any kind of contradictory voices emerging from within.
On the concluding day today of the two-day national executive meeting the BJP admitted that it needed to change its image as a divided house ahead of 2014 general elections. This is all the more important for the party which claims to be a credible alternative to the Congress. However, senior party leaders have also indicated that the party would have to do everything to curb growing incidents of dissent among the central leaders as well as in state party units.
A BJP leader who did not want to be identified, admitted that Modi's towering personality and his acceptablity put him way ahead of other leaders including Advani, Gadkari, Jaitley and Swaraj (all aspirants of Prime Minister's post). However, he warned that if Modi continued to have his way, it could weaken the party organisation instead of making it stronger.
"Divided BJP and leaders raising contradictory voices may keep the party far far away from its goal to disloade UPA government in 2014 elections," he observed.
Meanwhile, Advani, former president Murli Manohar Joshi and BJP deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gopinath Munde were absent when the national executive passed a resolution to amend the party's constitution on Thursday. It has paved way for Gadkari to continue to be president for another three years.
The absence of the trio during the discussion on the resolution has raised questions over the party's claim over unanimity over the amending the party's constitution enabling the party president to enjoy two terms. Advani, Joshi and Munde have been quite often critical about Gadkari's style of functioning and they are believed to be disappointed over giving Gadkari a second term ahead of 2014 general elections. In such circumstances, BJP leader admitted that Gadkari would have to take these leader on board.