Bhopal: After the BJP took strong note of the dissidence and internal bickerings in the party in Madhya Pradesh ahead of the by-elections for 26 assembly seats and threatened action, the exercise seems to have paid off. Leaders who were openly expressing resentment against their own party have calmed down.
By-elections are to be held in 26 assembly constituencies in the state and the BJP is going to field 24 of those turncoats who switched to the saffron fold from the Congress, from March to July. Due to this, many BJP leaders are dissatisfied and have also expressed anger on different occasions at various party forums. They have been questioning the party’s changing character.
Prominent among those who openly expressed anger are former minister and ex-MLA Deepak Joshi, former minister Jaibhan Singh Pawaiya and Ajay Vishnoi, former MLA from Patan in Jabalpur. All three have voiced concern and anger over the newcomers getting preference in the party. They also posed this question to the party organization.
BJP sources said that in addition to these three leaders, there are many more who have expressed disapproval about the influx of Congress leaders into the BJP. The reason for this is believed to be their concern about their political future in the party.
This prompted state BJP president Vishnu Dutt Sharma, general secretary (Organization) Suhas Bhagat and Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to discuss the issues with the dissidents, giving them an assurance that they will be accommodated as per their experience and capabilities either in the government or in the organization.
Sharma denied that there is growing dissidence in the party and said that people keep on coming to meet him. They are satisfied now and there is no discontentment, he added.
Political analyst Arvind Mishra said that it is a big challenge for the BJP to manage the dissatisfaction of its long time leaders during this phase of change. The government and the organization are trying their best, but only time will tell how much success they will achieve. At the moment it seems that the party has managed to either convince the dissidents to remain silent or threatened them with action if they speak out.
