Three recent incidents of alleged fights among BJP members have come under the scanner of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh which has directed the party to crack whip on “indisciplined cardres”, sources said.
The Sangh has taken cognisance of the BJP’s tested formula of replacing incumbent office-bearers and candidates in the Capital with “new faces” and directed the State unit of the party to curb parivarwaad (dynastic politics) in its ranks, sources added.
“There have been three recent incidents which the RSS has taken cognisance of and in light of which has directed the party to keep dynasty politics in check for the sake of the party’s reputation. All three incidents involved members — either current public representatives or former — coming to blows in public, which has tarnished the image of the BJP. The Sangh has directed the party to take exemplary action against all those involved in such incidents,” a party leader said.
This action was more than likely to be the termination of the primary membership of such cadre to send out a message to the effect that “intra-family rows or politics had no place in the organisation that is the BJP.” At an event on unauthorised colonies in north Delhi’s Kirari on Sunday evening, BJP members, including two councillors of the North body, got into an altercation.
Anil Jha, ex-MLA and BJP member wanted to address the gathering but an opposing faction was against it, said area councillor Poonam Parashar Jha, wife of Mr. Jha. One of the councillors got allegedly involved in the altercation, she added.
While Ms. Jha denied involvement in the incident, she said this was an internal party matter and was being played up by vested interests. However, sources close to Sonam Chowdhary, the other councillor involved, said Ms. Jha, president of the BJP Delhi women’s wing, instigated the fight.
Similarly, at another party event which was part of its outreach programme in Gokalpuri’s unauthorised colonies on Sunday evening, two members from the district-level leadership came to blows.
On September 19, the party’s Mehrauli district president Azad Singh was caught assaulting his estranged wife and former south Delhi Mayor Sarita Chaudhary at the party’s headquarters.
“The senior State leadership will delve into each of these incidents to fix responsibility. Everyone’s role will be examined,” said Pratyush Kanth, Delhi BJP in-charge of media, social media & IT cell.