BJP National President Amit Shah to the grass root BJP workers all wants to see BJP wins the Bijepur bypoll. Many a time the senior leaders have quoted that BJP is a democratic party but there was hardly any democratic procedure was adopted to select the candidate for Bijepur bypoll. Party insiders are saying it looks like a deal.
The Karyakartas were upbeat and charged and gearing for the coming poll. But all of a sudden Karyakartas of Bijepur were unhappy and level of enthusiasm dipped. Name of a candidate unacceptable to the Karyakartas was projected via media. And a protest was demonstrated by many office bearers of District and State level.
Party insiders say, BJP is a cadre based party and layers of Committee and formalities and office bearer are there. But for the Bijepur bypoll some 4-5 influential people decided themselves and projected in the media in such a way that the highest decision makers of BJP bow down their head. Dharmendra Pradhan is dreaming of becoming the next CM of Odisha but perhaps he is unaware that people appointed by him are enjoying the benefits of his faith and taking decisions for their personal benefit. They are enjoying the power vested on them by the party. And the unhappy worker says they are betraying our faith. The worker added, these grey shade leaders have nothing to do with party’s wining or loosing, they are businessman. The party lost the battle before fighting it.
Now the Karyakartas are raising many questions like, why the proper procedure was not followed by the party for selecting the candidate. Why a BJD discarded has been projected in the media as the BJP candidate though many eligible people are there in the party for the job. Whereas the discarded former MLA lost the election as he was incompetent and due to his unsocial behavior with people. Workers are also stating in complaining tone that we love Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his governance; we want Dharmendra Pradhan for Odisha but BJP cannot materialize the dream with such biased decisions which are working against the party. Zeal and enthusiasm of workers has dip down and BJP has slip to third position compared to charged and upbeat BJD and Congress.
Saket Sreebhushan Sahu comments on politics and culture