Seething over being ignored in Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Jharkhand developments, senior BJP leader L.K. Advani lashed out: “The results in Uttar Pradesh (Assembly polls), the manner in which the party welcomed BSP ministers who were removed by Mayawati ji on charges of corruption, the party’s handling of Jharkhand and Karnataka — all these events have undermined the party’s campaign against corruption.” Mr Advani was referring to party president Nitin Gadkari’s move to welcome former BSP minister Babu Singh Kushwaha, an accused in NRHM scam.
As for Karnataka and Jharkhand, while Advani wanted the party to oust B.S. Yeddyurappa, he was also against BJP’s participation in Jharkhand government. Mr Advani was also miffed with Mr Gadkari for his attempt to nominate Anshuman Mishra for Rajya Sabha from Jharkhand.
Sources disclosed that the Sangh, which had its representative, Suresh Soni, participating in all the sessions at Mumbai national executive apparently dropped hints that both Mr Advani and Ms Sushma Swaraj should be counted out of the PM race.
An angry Advani lashed out in his blog: “When these days mediapersons attack the UPA government for its string of scams, but at the same time regret that the BJP-led NDA is not rising to the occasion, I as a former pressman myself, feel they are reflecting public opinion correctly.” Though Mr Advani praised the performance of both Ms Sushma Swaraj and Mr Jaitley in Parliament he added: “This is no compensation for the lapses committed”.