The spirit of cohesiveness that was claimed to have been generated in the BJP State unit post the Janaraksha yatra seems to wearing off and the rival factions are reportedly taking positions for yet another round of intense sparring.
The two-day meetings of the core committee, office-bearers and State committee that concluded in Alappuzha on Monday are learnt to have witnessed grave resistance against the alleged dictatorial style of functioning of the State leadership and also the way dissent was being muffled within the organisation.
The manner in which State secretary V.V. Rajesh and Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha State general secretary Praful Krishna were pulled up for indiscipline without giving them an opportunity to explain their stand is understood to have found a mention at the meetings. But more importantly, diminishing room for a healthy discussion on organisational issues was more seriously rued by a section of leaders.
Party sources told The Hindu that the show of unity was confined to the conduct of the yatra and also the issues raised by it. Though it was felt that pending organisational issues would be sorted out after the yatra, the obdurate stance allegedly adopted by the State leadership has made matters worse and pushed the organisation to the brink of a crisis yet again. All issues, including the medical college bribery scam, leakage of report prepared by the party panel and resultant punitive actions may once again occupy the centrestage, much to the dismay of the national leadership.
The yatra taken out by State president Kummanam Rajasekharan drew flak for its timing and also its consequent impact on the Vengara Assembly bypoll outcome. The dismal performance of a senior leader, Janachandran, who was the Malappuram district president, in the byelection, was seen as a major setback for the party that is gearing up for Lok Sabha elections.
The party machinery was focussed on the yatra and did not spare time for the byelection. The national leadership’s bid to have truce does not seem to have gone down well the with State leaders and that may make its task even more challenging in the coming days, sources said.