New Delhi, March 12
The BJP, which got a severe beating in the Assembly poll in Himachal Pradesh recently, today issued a show-cause notice to Union Minister Shanta Kumar for remarks made against the previous BJP government in the state.
The notice, issued by BJP General Secretary Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, came a day after Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani talked tough at a Parliamentary Party meeting on the need to maintain discipline.
BJP President M. Venkaiah Naidu was also authorised to take action against those who do not maintain discipline.
Shortly after receiving the notice, Mr Kumar met Mr Vajpayee and Mr Advani, sources said.
Later, he met Mr Naidu, who asked him to give in writing as to why he had made the remarks that the election results were due to people’s anger against the corruption of the Dhumal government.
At the yesterday’s meeting, Mr Vajpayee and Mr Advani had asked partymen to strengthen the organisation and to refrain from airing their views publicly.
“Development alone does not work and there is a need to strengthen the organisation as was seen in the Assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh”, Mr Vajpayee had said.
Mr Advani told the meeting that the party President had been authorised to take appropriate action against any member who adopts the agitational path.
“There should be no public criticism of the party. This damages the image of the BJP which has always prided itself with being a party with a difference,” Mr Advani said.
Soon after the results poured in, Mr Naidu had appointed a three-member committee comprising Prabhari of Himachal Pradesh BJP unit O.P. Kohli, Union Law Minister Arun Jaitley and Delhi Pradesh BJP unit president Madan Lal Khurana to give a complete report on the debacle of the party in the Assembly poll in the hill state.
