M Venkaiah Naidu, the all India general secretary of the BJP, yesterday said all the state general secretaries of the BJP had been asked to prepare an action plan to strengthen the party, which had been affected by dissension as witnessed in Gujarat and Rajasthan. Even though the BJP was certainly a party with a difference, we are sad about the happenings in Gujarat and Rajasthan. This was an outcome of the problem that had arisen out of the growth of the party and the problem of environment pervading the country in general which was affecting the party also, he told a press meet here.
(Recently senior BJP leader, A B Vajpayee, had said loss of values presently prevailing in the country was also affecting BJP men).
Naidu said at a recent meeting of the party leaders at virar, near Mumbai, an internal exercise to cleanse the party was decided and the action plan was one of the outcome of this.
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The BJP leader said the first meeting of south zone standing committee would take place here on February 23 to take stock of the situation in the Centre and the four southern states and prepare for a general election, which is imminent. All India president, L K Advani would be participating in it.
Naidu said at the south zone meeting, besides state presidents, general secretaries and treasurers of the four southern states, the BJP vice-presidents, Bangaru Laxman and Jana Krishnamurthy, national secretary, Anantha-kumar and O Rajagopal, MP, would also participate.
In a bid to enhance the fund for the party, a new fund raising system called Jeevana Sahayogi had been evolved in which the cadres and party sympathisers would be requested to contribute sums ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 10,000 per annum, he said.
Criticising the United Front government at the Centre for its failure in various fields, including economic front, Naidu said the Front government should either govern or quit. Because of internal contradictions, internal problems and ego clashes among various Fronts constituents, the Front was finding it difficult to govern.
The Front government had taken no decision on various matters due to the back seat driving and blackmailing of Congress.
With the result, terrorism had started raising its ugly head in various states like Jammu and Kashmir where already three attempts on the life of its Chief Minister, Farooq Abdullah had taken place. In Punjab, Assam, Andhra and Tamil Nadu, also extremists were active, he said.