BJP National Executive meeting next month

The BJP's National Executive is set to meet next month ahead of assembly elections in five states and at a time when the Modi government is facing flak from the opposition over issues like "crushing" dissent and its "poor" handling of economy.
Official sources said the meeting is likely to be held on March 19-20, days after the first leg of the Budget Session ends, in the national capital.
Before the meeting, party chief Amit Shah, who was re-elected to the post last month, will reconstitute the executive and the other national bodies of party, a move that will shed light on the internal dynamics within the saffron outfit.

The two-day National Executive will set the tone for the party's approach to the political challenges facing it, more so as it comes at a time when the ruling party is being seen at its lowest ebb since storming to power at the Centre.
It suffered a drubbing in Bihar and some of its state governments, like in Gujarat and Haryana, are perceived to have lost a bit of political capital during the quota stir.
JNU row and the controversy over the suicide of a Dalit scholar in the Hyderabad Central University have been used by the opposition and the party's key office bearers will deliberate over it, sources said.

"It will be during the session. So obviously the burning issues will be deliberated. We expect that the meeting will re-energise the cadre ahead of state elections. We are seeing an increasingly hostile and united opposition against BJP," sources said.

Referring to the Ishrat Jahan issue, Naqvi said Congress
chief Sonia Gandhi and her deputy Rahul Gandhi travelled across the country to attack Modi over it.
BJP members also expressed happiness at the Modi government's efforts to empower villages, farmers, the poor and the youth, he said, claiming that the whole world is acknowledging India's progress.
The party, though, accused the opposition, especially Congress, of continuously working to derail the government's developmental efforts.

"They have not been able to get over their hangover of the Lok Sabha election defeat," he said.
BJP also defended the imposition of President's Rule in Uttarakhand and Naqvi said the constitutional machinery in the state had broken down and it was a state without a budget.
The government yesterday wanted to take up in the Rajya Sabha an important bill aimed at the welfare of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes but Congress did not allow it, he said, accusing the opposition party of working against the country's development.
He said Telecom Ministry has developed several provision for protection of women and Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will make an announcement in Parliament in this regard.

BJP wanted a positive and constructive debate in Parliament, he said.