In a mood to let bygone be bygones, the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) proposed ‘chintan-baithak’ — the brainstorming session — is all set to focus on the party’s future strategy, instead of making a threadbare analysis of why it lost the general elections under the leadership of L K Advani.
According to sources, the theme of the three-day session, starting on August 16 in Shimla, would be “rejuvenation of the party and the road ahead”. Earlier, the session was proposed to be held in Mumbai and was supposed to mainly discuss the reasons for its worst-ever electoral defeat since 1984.
The chintan baithak is likely to be attended by about one dozen top-rung leaders, also called the “core group”. Party chief Rajnath Singh, L K Advani, leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Arun Jaitley, leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Sushma Swaraj, Venkaiah Naidu and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi are some of the sure invitees to the forthcoming session.
However, the party has not yet said whether it would invite senior leaders like Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie, who had demanded sweeping changes in the party organisation soon after the poll debacle.
“We have had a good floor coordination in the ongoing session of Parliament, as we were able to besiege the government on important issues without being shrill about it,” a party leader said, adding “this has encouraged us to look at the future with a positive mind”.
According to sources, party general secretary Ram Lal, who is close to the leadership of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, is in charge of finalising the list of invitees for the meeting.
The BJP has already compiled a constituency-wise report on its performance which is likely to be circulated at the ‘chintan baithak’.
Sources said the report is able to end the internal debate on various emotive issues, that were raised soon after the election.
