Infighting dents BJP’s image in Haryana

Saturday 08th April 2017 07:51 EDT
 
 

CHANDIGARH: A senior Haryana minister's meeting with BJP president Amit Shah last week, has prompted speculation that the state would soon have a Deputy Chief Minister. It has been learnt that Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar himself gave the idea in exasperation, telling a party leader that "if the party thinks I cannot rein in 16-odd 'unhappy' legislators, bring in a second-in-command to handle them."

Times are tough for the BJP in the state, as a political uncertainty looms over the state, the CM has for now, managed to calm things down with his influence in the Sangh parivar. Khattar argued to the party leadership that "If you elevate a minister before satisfying the disgruntled legislators, it will wreak havoc on the party." However, Haryana BJP president, and a Khattar loyalist, Subhash Barala brushed the move calling it a "media speculation". If BJP insiders are to be believed, the legislators received the message that an "awashak" meeting was to be held in Delhi soon.

The announcement of the move was to be made there in the presence of Barala, however developments sent a message out that the party is unable to keep its flock together. One of the complaints by the legislators who claimed they were being ignored by their own party is that just 14 ministers including Khattar, manage to get works done. Two rounds of talks with the MLAs were held in Delhi last month, where they were assured of addressing their concerns after the Uttar Pradesh elections.


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