Confusion is prevailing in the BJP’s Uttar Pradesh unit over who is the “real” in-charge of the coming Assembly elections in the state.
While senior leader Kalraj Mishra is heading the election management committee, the central leadership recently appointed former party chief Rajnath Singh as the overall in-charge of the UP polls. The BJP’s former national general secretary (organisation) and RSS man Sanjay Joshi is already looking after the coordination while Ms Uma Bharti was also brought into the election scene with much fanfare.
Sources said the party’s campaign process has slowed down with too many hierarchical positions. Even selection of candidates has got delayed. The party, which had earlier planned to come out with its first list of candidates by July, is likely to announce it by next week now.
While BJP chief Nitin Gadkari, who recently held a meeting of party leaders from UP, urged them to keep a check on growing dissidence, sources disclosed the party is battling against many power camps in its state unit. “There are too many hierarchical positions created in the state unit. Ticket seekers (for Assembly polls) are running from one camp to another. There is hardly any coordination between the senior leadership which is evident from the fact that we are yet to announce our first list of candidates. The Congress is way ahead in preparations as well as coordination. They have already come out with their first list,” said a senior functionary.
Mr Gadkari had asked party UP leaders to jointly address public rallies.
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Interlocutors say no final suggestions yet
AGE CORRESPONDENT
New Delhi, Sept. 3
The Centre’s interlocutors on Jammu and Kashmir have rejected media reports that they have proposed to give the J&K government exclusive jurisdiction of all departments except defence, foreign affairs and communications. The interlocutors have termed the reports purely “speculative in nature”.
In a statement issued here, the interlocutors — Dilip Padgaonkar, Radha Kumar and M.M. Ansari — said, “The report is purely speculative in nature. The group of interlocutors is currently engaged in preparing a draft of its final report which is expected to be submitted to the government of India before its term ends on October 12, 2011.” They further said, “There is no question of anyone in the government being privy to the final recommendation.”