Gadkari seeks action against 'rebels'

A day after BJP veterans led by L K Advani sought to put the blame on Narendra Modi and Amit Shah for Bihar Assembly poll defeat, Union minister Nitin Gadkari  on Wednesday demanded stringent punishment against people trying to “damage the party image”.

Gadkari was among the three former BJP chiefs, including Rajnath Singh and M Venkaiah Naidu, who defended the leadership of Modi and Shah by denying veterans’ demand for fixing accountability for the debacle.

The party was “fortunate to have been led by leaders like former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani and welcomed seniors’ suggestions on victories and defeats....they (veterans) had set a healthy precedent of the party collectively, taking up responsibility for victories and defeats,” the trio said in a statement released on Tuesday evening.

“I have told party chief Shah to initiate stringent action against those making irresponsible statements and causing damage to the party’s image,” Gadkari told reporters in Nagpur.

Gadkari, who is perceived to be close to the RSS,  also said, “We will talk to Advaniji on the issue,” while at the same time emphasising that no one demands assessment when the party wins.

Agreeing with Gadkari that suggestions were welcome, BJP general secretary Ram Madhav, who was drafted into the party from the RSS, suggested that views should not be shared publicly but on party fora which would be beneficial for both.

Former Union minister in Vajpayee regime Yashwant Sinha, who has been sidelined by the present regime which made his son Jayant Sinha junior finance minister, drove down to Advani’s house on Wednesday to hold talks on the fallout of their growing tiff with the leadership.