The party is at a crucial juncture where it has to remain in the clean books of people on the eve of election. If at all something goes wrong, despite soaring popularity of Modi, the leadership will be to blame.
The fissures in BJP are more open than ever. It is even clearer than when Narendra Modi was to be anointed as prime ministerial candidate. First LK Advani sulking over a seat, then Sushma Swaraj tweeting against the induction of Sriramulu, Jawant Singh fighting over a seat and filing nomination as an independent candidate, Yashwant Sinha over Jaswant’s ignorance by party and then Sri Ram Sene’s Pramod Muthalik’s ouster within hours of his induction.
The latest in the series is Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi’s tweet over induction of Sabir Ali where he has shown his displeasure revealing that the former JD(U) leader has alleged links with terrorist Yasin Bhatkal.
Naqvi’s tweet created a flurry which was followed by another tweet which claimed that Bhatkal was arrested from Ali’s house.
@mediacrooks It should be investigated,When this information was in public domain before sabir Ali quit JDU. pic.twitter.com/Push36n9QV
— India First (@pktutu) March 29, 2014
Reportedly, the RSS has rapped BJP over the issue and the party is going to probe how Shabir Ali was inducted despite his links with Bhatkal.
The induction system in the party, it seems, is ongoing without any communication with the senior party leaders. And twitter seems to be becoming the platform to show this displeasure.
Earlier, Swaraj had openly opposed Sriramulu’s inclusion into BJP and at the time she had tweeted saying, “I am opposed to the BSR alliance or merger with BJP in Karnataka. I have conveyed to Shri Raj Nath Singhji in writing that BJP must not permit this.”
She had again took to twitter when BJP’s ally Haryana Janhit Congress was inducting Haryana Congress leader Venod Sharma who is the father of Manu Sharma, convicted in the murder of Jessica Lal.
In the case of Muthalik, internal opposition in the party assured his ouster within minutes. While in Jaswant’s case, Yaswant has spoken now (he reportedly said that things could have been done more smoothly and gracefully to look more natural) and others are still silet over the sidelined treatment to the former.
In fact, Naqvi has claimed that the party president Rajnath Singh does not know about this link of Ali with Bhatkal.
This statement of Naqvi makes it even clearer that BJP is running a suicidal mission in place of induction process. This induction process in the party needs to be more tough and clearer as to who can join the party. The background check on a joinee needs to be passed through senior leader.
But Manushi editor, Madhu Kishwar, in a series of tweets, has indicated that there might be something else behind Naqvi’s tweet. She claims that Ali left JD(U) to join BJP and enjoys massive following which will put a dent in Bihar chief minister and JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar’s camp. The tweet by Naqvi, she say, is essentially part of a smear campaign orchestrated by those who are uprooted.
She even apologised to Ali on twitter.
Media reports abt Sabir Ali turned out misleading. Talked to reliable Muslim community reps – all say Naqvi sahib running motivated campaign
— Madhu Kishwar (@madhukishwar) March 29, 2014
Apologies to Sabir Ali for being misled by hostile propaganda. Wonder why no one in the media thought of asking the following questions 1\n
— Madhu Kishwar (@madhukishwar) March 29, 2014
Sabir Ali was Rajya sabha member with @naqvimukhtar for whole term. They were good pals. How come Naqvi never raised any issues then? 2\n
— Madhu Kishwar (@madhukishwar) March 29, 2014
3\n When #Sabbir Ali was JD(U) spokesperson, no one called him any names. Suddenly media,@naqvimukhtar & others find terror & other links?
— Madhu Kishwar (@madhukishwar) March 29, 2014
4\n #SabbirAli given 2014 lok Sabha ticket by JD(U). Media nor @naqvimukhtar raised objections abt his antecedents. Suddenly declared evil!
— Madhu Kishwar (@madhukishwar) March 29, 2014
5\n.. JD(U) tell me that Sabir Ali’s joining BJP big blow to Nitish Kumar. So he orchestrated smear campaign thru old friends in BJP.
— Madhu Kishwar (@madhukishwar) March 29, 2014
6\n #SabbirAli left JD(U) lok sabha ticket to join BJP. Unlike @naqvimukhtar Sabir ali has mass base among Muslims. Rootless leaders upset
— Madhu Kishwar (@madhukishwar) March 29, 2014
If at all it turns out to be a smear campaignas Kishwar suggests, BJP stands to lose both ways.
The party is at a crucial juncture where it has to remain in the clean books of people on the eve of election. If at all something goes wrong, despite soaring popularity of Modi, the leadership will be to blame.