Intending to field at least 25 to 30 per cent new faces in the Bihar Assembly elections, the BJP is considering dropping some of the sitting MLAs, who had raised the banner of revolt against deputy ch

With the Babri Masjid title suit verdict expected on September 24, RSS supremo Mohan Bhagwat will be holding a series of meetings with the senior-most leadership of the Sangh Parivar affiliates to chalk out a strategy post the high court order.

The top BJP leadership gathered at the residence of senior party leader and Bhagalpur MP Shahnawaz Hussain to celebrate Id while only a handful of partymen went to Jharkhand to attend the swearing-in ceremony of BJP chief minister Arjun Munda.

Differences have surfaced in the BJP over Arjun Munda-led Jharkhand government. While the top leadership, ranging from L.K. Advani, Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, is expected to skip the swearing-in ceremony, former party chief, Rajnath Singh would be present for the occasion. It may be recalled, Mr Singh has always been regarded to be in the rival faction. Even party chief Nitin Gadkari is unlikely to attend the swearing-in ceremony taking place on Saturday.

Senior BJP leader and parliamentary party chairman L.K. Advani is believed to be fuming as he was kept in the dark over the party’s successful attempt to form the government in Jharkhand.

Sources said most of the BJP central leadership, including Mr Advani, had been reluctant when the issue of striking a deal with the JMM was raised. Mr Advani, sources said, was of the view that the party had faced enough embarrassment because of the JMM and, therefore, it would be unwise to join hands with them again.

Unable to anticipate the possible fallout of the Allahabad high court verdict on the Ram Janm abhoomi-Babri Masjid land title suit, a nervous Sangh Parivar is treading cautiously.

Resentment is brewing in the BJP’s youth wing. The newly-appointed youth wing chief Mr Anurag Thakur has shunted almost all the office bearers of the previous team headed by Mr Amit Thakar, who belongs to Gujarat. This has led to resentment among a majority section of youth leaders who are of the view that the decision to bring an entirely new team was taken only to “get rid of” members who were inducted by Mr Thakur’s predecessor.

The BJP’s Bihar unit chief C.P. Thakur on Monday offered to resign over the party’s internal survey, showing that the BJP was rapidly losing ground in the poll-bound state.
Sources disclosed Dr Thakur offered his resignation during a meeting of the party top brass and senior state unit leaders. However, party chief Nitin Gadkari refused to accept his resignation and asked him to continue.

The BJP is losing ground in poll-bound Bihar and its alliance partner JD(U) has overshadowed it in the state.