Uttar Pradesh: BJP to give ‘outsiders’ key posts

In yet another shift in strategy, the BJP in Uttar Pradesh has now decided to involve leaders coming in from other parties in the party organisation and give them important positions.

Earlier, the BJP had categorically announced that “outsiders” would not be given preference over dedicated party cadres, in either the party organisation or in tickets for the Assembly elections.

“This change in strategy is because of certain ground realities related to the caste factor. We have some leaders, belonging to important caste groups, who have joined the part in the past one year and we plan to use them to win over their community since they wield considerable influence in it,” said a senior party functionary.

The new strategy is being evolved keeping in mind the party’s debacle in the recent Bihar elections where the BJP lost out due to the caste factor.

Leaders like BSP MP Jugal Kishore, former DGP Brijlal and former MP Ashok Chandel are tipped off for positions in the party organisation, elections for which are scheduled to b e held by the yearend.

“There is another aspect to the change in strategy too. These leaders who have recently joined the party will be first given organisational responsibility which will give them an opportunity to become familiar with the party cadres and their acceptability among the cadres will prove helpful, if and when, they are given tickets to the Assembly polls,” the functionary disclosed.

According to sources, a group of leaders, newly inducted into the BJP, had recently met top party leaders in Delhi and complained about the “indifference” of the state unit towards them.

The leaders said that after they joined the party, no efforts have been made to involve them in party activities and they are almost treated with contempt.

One of the leaders who spoke to this correspondent, said on condition of anonymity, “Yes we did meet the top party leaders and told them that we feel completely unwanted and ignored in the party. There has been no effort to make us comfortable in the BJP fold and even if we go to the party office, no one pay any attention to us. We told the party bosses that if this attitude continues, we would rather opt out of the BJP.”

Meanwhile, party workers are not too happy with the attempt to include “outsiders” in the party organisation.

“The organisation of the BJP has always been the backbone of the party and if rank outsiders are brought into it, it would ruin the culture of the party. Besides party workers who toil so that they can climb the ladder in the organisation, would also be demoralised,” said a district president of the party.