Nagpur call not limited to Muslims: Laxman

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, OCT. 2. At a meeting of BJP office-bearers and State unit presidents and secretaries, Mr. Bangaru Laxman, party president, sent out two clear messages - one, that the Nagpur message was not only about welcoming Muslims into the party fold; and two, that problems in the party at the State level must be sorted out in the States.

Although party leaders are loathe to admit this, it seems that the overplaying of the welcome to Muslims after the Nagpur conclave may have begun to hurt the party, making its strongly saffron supporters wary of the new stance of the BJP. However, BJP leaders refute this and add that the appeal to Muslims was nothing new, even if a new emphasis had been given to it in Nagpur.

The meeting discussed ways to galvanise party workers, especially in the States that will be going to the polls next year - Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Kerala, Assam, West Bengal around March next year, and Uttar Pradesh later around October.

Detailed separate discussions with each of these party units will begin after the end of this festival season, and only then the detailed strategy to be adopted for each State will be spelt out, party leaders indicated today.

It was decided that local workers should involve themselves in the electoral revision that the Election Commission will be taking up from November 1. They must ensure that all areas and voters are included on the rolls instead of waiting till the last minute.

The two programmes announced yesterday - one-week celebrations from October 13 to mark the completion of one year in office by the Vajpayee Government of 1999, and the taking of the Nagpur message to the people over two months of intensive door-to-door contacts with the people - are to be used as a preparation for the coming polls.

It was emphasised that the Nagpur message was not just about appealing to Muslims to join and support the BJP but also about widening the social base of the party among all sections; spreading the BJP's appeal geographically and politically; and identifying the problems of the poor and the disadvantaged.

At the same time, campaigns through workshops, meetings, seminars and distribution of leaflets, putting up of posters and hoardings will also focus on Government achievements in this one year - notably the creation of three new States and the constitutional amendments protecting existing reservations for Scheduled Castes and Tribes above 50 per cent.

The Gujarat unit has also been asked to prepare a detailed report analysing the reasons for the party's debacle in civic polls just concluded. Preliminary reports with leaders here suggest that Government mishandling of drought and lack of proper management of water resulting in water riots was a major reason besides complacency about the party's strong support base.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : National
Previous : Cabinet's loss need not be NDA's, hopes BJP
Next     : Civic polls outcome, a shot in the arm for Cong.