Bihar rout tells on Modi, Amit Shah

New Delhi: The Modi-Shah duo, that virtually led the party in the Bihar poll battle with one rally after another, and virtually sidelining the local leadership, played the old game of passing the buck by blaming the defeat on all — “collective responsibility.”

The statement, signed by the top four leaders, stated, “To say everyone is responsible for the defeat in Bihar is to ensure that no one is held responsible. It shows that those who would have appropriated credit if the party had won are bent on shrugging off responsibility for the disastrous showing in Bihar.”

Then came the sting. “The principal reason for the latest defeat is the way the party has been emasculated in the last year,” the statement said, in a clear signal that the veterans are in no mood to take the marginalisation lightly and would strike back at every opportune moment.

Making it clear that the Modi-Shah should accept blame and responsibility for the party’s worst performance in the state, the statement read: “A thorough review must be done of the reasons for the defeat as well as of the way the party is being forced to kowtow to a handful, and how its consensual character has been destroyed.

“This review must not be done by the very persons who have managed and who have been responsible for the campaign in Bihar.” Not merely the big four, there have been allegations that the troika of Mr Modi, Mr Shah and finance minister Arun Jaitley have been systematically trying to sideline all big players, ranging from home minister Rajnath Singh to former party chief Nitin Gadkari.

There are reports that Mr Gadkari’s rallies in Bihar were cancelled by the Shah team without even informing the minister. Sources revealed that before the statement was released from Dr Joshi’s residence, former Union minister Arun Shourie and former RSS ideologue K.N. Govindacharya were closeted with the former BJP president.

Mr Shourie had held Mr Modi, Mr Shah and Mr Jaitley responsible for the Bihar debacle. Rumblings had already begun when the party was routed by the Grand Alliance.

The first to fire a salvo  at the leadership was Mr Shatrughan Sinha, who was followed by Hukumdev Narayan Yadav and then a number of senior BJP leaders. A senior party leader in Bihar questioned the “dictatorial style” of Mr Shah.

Download the all new Deccan Chronicle app for Android and iOS to stay up-to-date with latest headlines and news stories in politics, entertainment, sports, technology, business and much more from India and around the world.