Indiscipline will be strictly dealt with, warns Bandi

HYDERABAD: The BJP’s senior leadership has sought to put an end to the bickering among some senior leaders in the state unit with party national general secretary Sunil Bansal on Monday making it clear that positions and posts are not something for which anyone can seek a reservation. And to those party leaders, who have been voicing their concern, either to the party’s national leaders, or in the media, Bansal’s message was that they have all the opportunities to prove themselves.

This, according to party sources, was made clear by Bansal, who told party leaders that they can prove themselves by getting busy in party-building work and taking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s successes to the people during the BJP’s month-long ‘Maha Sampark Abhiyan’ starting on May 30.

Bansal addressed the BJP state executive meeting on Monday and also met some party leaders separately on the sidelines, party sources said.

“Clearly, he was not very pleased with what has been going on,” a party leader said, while another said “Bansal’s directive applied to all the party leaders, including those seeking to do a ‘handkerchief reservation’ for positions.”

It may be recalled that matters have been heading to a boil within the party for the past few weeks now with some senior leaders heading to Delhi to make their voices, and opinions about the state party leadership, heard by the central leaders.

State BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar too made a dash to Delhi on Friday for a round of quick consultations. Bansal’s comments on Monday were a pointer that the party leadership is backing Sanjay but at the same time expects him too to get on board senior leaders and to have a united front, party sources said.

Meanwhile, addressing the state executive meeting, Sanjay Kumar said, “The BJP is a party of discipline. Anyone who crosses the line will face tough action. Mere showcasing of themselves either through banners or posters by leaders will not guarantee tickets. And for those seeking party tickets in the elections, they will need to be among the people, and those who work on the ground will get preference.”

Party leaders attending the state executive said the BJP national joint secretary for organizational affair, Shivprakash told the meeting that it was surprising to note that after some leaders come to Delhi to meet with national leaders, and then reports appear in the media that these leaders are unhappy with the state leadership. Shivprakash, the party leaders said, made it clear that the BJP does not take decisions on organisational matters based on news reports and that it will take any decision based on its own inputs.