Chhattisgarh: BJP’s core group meets after a year

After a gap of more than a year, the BJP’s Chhattisgarh core group held its meeting last week. Chief minister Raman Singh had to call this meeting after the party high command received the message that there is a “major communication gap” within state leaders over key issues and the organisational activities are on a decline. Senior party leaders questioned the functioning of the government and raised the issue of corruption and the government’s failure to check it.

Sources disclosed that the chief minister was told that dominance of bureaucrats and growing corruption are two major issues that he needs to address as not just the government but even the ruling party’s image is getting dented.

A senior party leader, it was learnt, even questioned the chief minister as how can be expect cooperation when various issues raised by his party colleagues are not even considered. Sources disclosed core group members raised serious concerns over growing corruption. The Opposition also keeps firing salvos at the chief minister over corruption issues, including the PDS scam.

BJP president Amit Shah had recently sought feedback on Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh. In Chhattisgarh, Mr Shah was told that a majority of senior leaders are miffed that they are kept out of the loop of major decisions. Organisational elections are currently underway in the state. Current state unit chief Dharamlal Kaushik is likely to get another term. Core group members also discussed coming local bodies polls in certain parts.

The core group meeting was also attended by Central leaders, including Saudan Singh and Saroj Pandey, along with senior state leaders.