Bid to avoid further damage in Jammu region
Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, July 12: Apparently shaken over parting ways by Surinder Choudhary and his joining of National Conference, Bhartiya Janta Party high command is learnt to have taken serious cognizance of the ‘unwanted’ development and swung into action for avoiding further damage to the party in Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory.
Highly placed sources in the party circles told the Excelsior that the high command has sought immediate feedback on the purported discontentment among some senior leaders in the party, particularly those who have embraced the BJP in the recent past.
Besides seeking the list of such ‘discontented’ leaders in the party , the high command has also asked for a report on the reasons of resentment among these individuals as well as restlessness in the J&K unit of BJP, sources added.
The high command fears that action of Surinder Choudhary, who quit BJP and joined National Conference along with his supporters yesterday, may open flood gates and encourage the discontented leaders in BJP to follow his way thus damaging the party reputation not only in J&K but across the country ahead of Lok Sabha elections, which are approaching nearer, sources explained.
While elaborating, sources pointed out that the ruling BJP is understood to project abrogation of Article 370 as a major achievement of the party with the claim that almost entire opposition, particularly in nationalist Jammu region has embraced the saffron party because of positive developments in the Union Territory after August 5, 2019.
However, sources said that the Surinder Choudhary episode has virtually shocked the party high command apprising it of the reality that all is not well within the party and resentment was high among some noteworthy mass based leaders, who feel sidelined by those at the helm of organizational affairs.
According to the sources, BJP national general secretary Tarun Chug had personally talked to Surinder Choudhary a day before his joining NC for pacifying him not to leave the saffron party but it was too late.
“Taking cognizance of the unfortunate development and for avoiding further damage to the party, a feedback on purported resentment among some significant leaders of repute has been sought so that necessary remedial actions may be timely taken at the organization and other levels,” said a senior BJP functionary on the condition of anonymity.
Even as some functionaries running the party affairs in Jammu and Kashmir have sought to convince that quitting of one person would not affect the party very much, sources said that apprehension of similar action by more discontented leaders has made the high command nervous.
“This is not the question of an individual or one Assembly seat, but the battle of perception and the BJP cannot afford to get the narrative changed which boosts confidence of National Conference in Jammu region,” sources explained, adding that some changes at organization level in Jammu and Kashmir are not ruled out after the feedback report is received and discussed by the high command.
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