New Delhi, February 23
In the wake of sharp criticism, the BJP appears to have a rethink on the admission of controversial Rajya Sabha MP D.P. Yadav into the party.
While Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani maintained silence on the issue but principally opposing criminalisation of politics, a meeting of top leaders of the BJP is scheduled here on February 25 which is likely to take up la affaire Yadav prominently.
The meeting, which is likely to be held at the residence of BJP president M. Venakaiah Naidu, will be attended among others by Mr Advani and the general secretaries of the party, sources said.
However, it was not clear whether in the proposed meeting BJP leaders will have a rethink on Mr Yadav’s entry into the party itself or will evolve a strategy to defend the party’s decision to include the UP “muscleman” into the party.
Eversince his inclusion in the party on February 20, BJP leaders are faced with mounting criticism and finding it difficult to
defend the party’s decision on Mr Yadav. The main cause of worry for the BJP bigwigs is that the decision of inclusion of Mr Yadav, which is purely political and keeping in view the ground situation in Uttar Pradesh, should in any manner affect or eclipse the party’s main “feel-good” factor campaign.
BJP general secretary and spokesperson Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi was also at his evasive best on Mr D.P. Yadav at a press conference here.
Facing a volley of questions on the issue, Mr Naqvi kept repeating that the BJP’s views and thinking was clear that the party was opposed to criminalisation of politics.
Asked how can the party then justify the inclusion of Mr Yadav, Mr Naqvi curtly said “I won’t answer”.
Meanwhile, there was sharp difference among party leaders on the inclusion of Mr Yadav into the party.
Though none dared to say anything on record beyond what was being officially maintained, some of the leaders felt that the decision of the party could well have an adverse impact on the ‘middle class’ voters in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.
While some other leaders felt that no political opponent could dare to attack the BJP on this count as they had or having some leaders whose “track record” is even worst than Mr Yadav. Moreover, they felt that the public memory was so short-lived that in the thick of electioneering people would shed this “one off issue” and focus themselves on “other bigger” issues.
