The BJP is in a dilemma as whether to act or not against its leaders who “sabotaged” its poll prospects in Uttarakhand.
While the RSS and a majority section within the BJP want action against these leaders, supporters of these leaders have warned the BJP top brass that any action would go against the party’s interest.
There are allegations that former chief minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, who was removed over corruption charges, and his supporters worked against the party’s interest and were also “actively involved” in damaging the prospects of Mr Nishank’s successor and the party’s chief ministerial candidate B.C. Khanduri.
In Uttarakhand, the BJP lost to the Congress by just one seat.
Sources disclosed that the BJP top brass is expected to meet senior Uttarakhand leaders, including Mr Khanduri, Mr Nishank and Rajya Sabha MP B.S. Koshiyari, soon to introspect on the poll results and also to sort out growing dissidence in the state unit.
The BJP managed 31 seats while the Congress won 32 seats in the 70-member state Assembly in the just-concluded polls.
It could be mentioned that Mr Khanduri had met the BJP top brass soon after the state went to polls, complaining against some of his party colleagues.
Mr Khanduri, it was learnt, had complained that some of his party colleagues had not only supported party rebel candidates, who contested from his Kotdwar Assembly seat, but also helped the Congress candidate, who later won the seat. Ironically, the BJP’s poll slogan in the state was “Khanduri hai zaroori”.
The RSS, which in a stern message to the BJP has asked for action against party leaders who “sabotaged” the BJP’s prospects in the hill state, has praised Mr Khanduri for the party’s performance in the polls despite corruption charges.