Bjp Decides On Consensual Approach To Stem Revolt

To emphasise its unique selling proposition (USP) of being a party with a difference, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) decided at its three-day introspection camp at Virar to become more democratic in dealing with the root causes of indiscipline among its rank and file.

It proposed to set up grievance redressal forums at the state and national levels and organise training camps for the partys rank and file.

To avoid contest during organisational elections, the party laid emphasis on evolving consensus.

The party decided to set up manifesto implementation committees in BJP-ruled states besides energising the already existing council of chief ministers of these states.

The BJP leaders also decided to set up core groups of about 40 people for conducting Virar-type camps at the state levels. Three or four leaders from this core group, which would be set-up by party president L K Advani, would attend the camps as guides.

The conclave authorised the partys five general secretaries to study various aspects of the decision and to suggest modalities for implementing them.

Even as the BJP leaders attending the meeting described overambition of leaders as the principal cause of indiscipline and dissident activities in the party, they admitted, for the first time, that absence of adequate grievance redressal mechanism at various levels has accentuated the problem, a senior BJP leader, who attended the camp, said.

Till now, the party has been asserting that its various forums were capable of dealing with problems of indiscipline. It was also thought that the party should not take drastic action against its cadres unless it was extremely necessary, the BJP leader said.

This view emerged as the leaders attending the conclave thought that inducting a new person and then imbibing the partys ethos in him would be more difficult than trying to retain the person within the party by allowing him to air his grievances at an appropriate forum, he said.

As the leaders had decided not to take names of people or to cite examples while making their presentations, the exact origin of problems could not be ascertained, he pointed out. However, everyone knew who or which case was being referred to, he added.

To prevent the party organisation from being hijacked by certain members and the ensuing intra-organisational conflict, the leaders decided to work through a consensus by projecting known partymen for oganisational posts. This would dissuade individuals to make mass recruitment of cadre at various levels, who do so with the sole purpose of capturing party post through forcing a contest during organisational elections, a BJP ofice-bearer said.

The conclaves decision to set-up manifesto implementation committees is aimed at creating favourable image among people about the BJP-ruled states. Loss of a government in Gujarat and absence of the image of good governance in the BJP-ruled states have created a bad image for the party, he said.