Growing Indiscipline in BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) meet for introspection under way in Shimla has been paralyzed by concerns. Important issues such as "road ahead" and "move forward" have been overshadowed by certain concerns.

All efforts are being made to come out of the Jinnah episode, but no positive result is emerging. Since the results of the last general elections were not as expected, power has eluded the BJP.

Jaswant Singh's Book Controversy
The party convened the meeting in Shimla to introspect its election defeat and to decide the road ahead. Even before the meeting could begin, announcement was made to expel senior leader and former Union Minister Jaswant Singh over his book on Mohammad Ali Jinnah.

After that, senior party leaders and strategists got busy in rescuing L K Advani from the Jinnah controversy. Earlier, Advani had to give up party president post over the statement that he made about Jinnah in Pakistan.

New Front Opened
Jaswant Singh has opened a front with regard to his expulsion, which may make the party face new troubles. Party leaders are looking at Advani and Jaswant Singh from different perspectives on the Jinnah issue.

Accordingly, they are presenting their points of defense and attack on the issue. In reality, the BJP has strayed away from basic issues and has unnecessarily got embroiled on the Jinnah issue. Party leaders themselves are responsible for it.

Factionalism in Party
With growing indiscipline and factionalism in the party, ambitions of leaders have also increased considerably. Sidelining issues related to people's concerns, the party has got embroiled in useless issues that have nothing to do with the country or the people in the present context.

If the party is unable to control indiscipline and factionalism in it, the people would sideline the party and its dream of coming to power again would never be fulfilled.

There is not a single BJP leader who is acceptable to all. Atal Behari Vajpayee's personality was different. Everybody respected him. One should not hope for any positive outcome from the Shimla introspection meet.

Conflict has begun within the BJP with regard to the report presented in the meeting over the party's election defeat. The situation could become more serious in the coming days.