BJP defends its leadership from attack by party veterans

Seeking to defend its leadership from the attack by its veterans, the BJP tonight tried to put the ball back in their court, saying the "healthy precedent" of collective responsibility for poll victories and defeats was set by Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani himself.

The BJP also said it would certainly welcome any guidance and suggestion of "our seniors", shortly after Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Yashwant Sinha and Shanta Kumar raised a banner of revolt against the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party President Amit Shah in the wake of Bihar poll debacle.

The BJP response came by way of a joint statement issued by three Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Venkaiah Naidu and Nitin Gadkari, all former BJP Presidents.

"The Party has been very fortunate to have been led by Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Shri L.K. Advani for decades. They had set a healthy precedent of the Party collectively taking up responsibility for victories and defeats.

"The Party would certainly welcome any guidance and suggestion of our seniors in this regard," the brief statement said.

Stating that the BJP Parliamentary Board had a detailed discussion yesterday on the results of Bihar Assembly polls, the statement said the party will discuss this matter on various other forums including with senior leaders and attempt to overcome the shortcomings that led to the adverse verdict in the state.

The statement said that obviously, all party members are concerned with the results of Bihar elections.

It also listed out the party's successes in various elections.

"The Party has won the Lok Sabha Election last year under the leadership of Shri Narendra Modi.  Thereafter, the Party had success in Assembly Elections of Jharkhand, Haryana, Maharashtra and Jammu and Kashmir.

Recently, we have won the local elections in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andamans, Kerala and Assam. The results of Delhi and Bihar have been adverse against us," the statement said.