“The result of the Bihar election show that no lesson was learnt from the fiasco in Delhi”, a joint statement put out by Advani, Joshi, Shanta Kumar and Yashwant Sinha said, referring to the way the Aam Aadmi Party demolished the BJP in February. It shows those who would have appropriated credit are bent on shrugging off responsibility for the disastrous showing in Bihar, the leaders said.
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Sources said the statement had been planned at short notice.
The BJP top brass, however, issued a counter statement in response, saying they have been “fortunate” to be led by Advani for decades and welcomed any guidance and suggestion by the senior leaders.
Gadkari, a former BJP President, also demanded stringent action against those making irresponsible statements against Modi and Shah, who are facing flak from within the BJP and also allies for the NDA’s massive defeat in the key Hindi heartland state.
Yesterday, Arun Shourie – former Union minister and an admirer-turned-critic of Narendra Modi – had told NDTV that the defeat is expected to intensify the internal dissent against what many claim is the “high-handed” functioning style of PM Modi and party chief Amit Shah.
Manjhi himself lost the election from Mukhdumpur constituency but managed to scrape through by winning a seat for himself from Imamganj by defeating a star candidate of the JD(U) – Bihar Assembly speaker Uday Narayan Choudhary.
Responding to public expectations following the BJP’s stunning defeat in the Bihar assembly elections, the government on Tuesday announced the reforming and liberalising of norms for foreign investment in 15 sectors.
“During the campaign, local BJP leaders were sidelined and ignored”, he said.
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Congress leader Manish Tewari echoing similar sentiments taunted the ruling party and said the elderly distinguished gentlemen have actually lit the crackers after putting it in a very special place in the BJP. “I have addressed at least 50 rallies”.
