New Delhi: As BJP faced another defeat in the national capital, the party cadre blamed state leadership’s disconnect for it. Bypoll result of Rajinder Nagar assembly was announced on Sunday in which AAP’s Durgesh Pathak defeated BJP’s Rajesh Bhatia by a margin of over 11,000 votes.
Listing the reasons for losing the Rajinder Nagar bypoll third time in a row, Delhi BJP leaders said that incompetent state leadership and their complete disconnect with the cadre is the key reasons for the defeat.
A party leader said that Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta and state general secretary (orgnaisation) Siddharthan are not available to workers. “To meet Gupta and Siddharthan, workers have to take appointments and that is also not easily available. Gupta is surrounded by a handful of people and he failed to see beyond them,” he said.
Internal sabotage was also blamed for the defeat and sources in the party said that a state unit vice president, close to Gupta, who also eyed party nomination to contest the poll, did not work wholeheartedly for Bhatia.
“The Delhi BJP vice president, who enjoyed immense power under Gupta, has done only lip service in the name of working to ensure Bhatias’ victory. He was also asking for a ticket from Rajinder Nagar and after denial he almost withdrew himself. He was only seen at some important public meetings,” a BJP leader said.
Another leader pointed out that incompetent state leadership is giving priority to incompetent people. “State unit spokesperson who was given responsibility to oversee a ward of municipal bypoll in East Delhi is also given responsibility of one municipal ward of Rajinder Nagar assembly. She delivered the same result in municipal and assembly bypoll, party losing both the election,” a party insider said.
Summing up the defeat of the party candidate, a senior functionary said, “Time has arrived for state and central leadership to go among the people and work for them instead of doing events. Party leadership should also end the courtiers system and assign responsibility to deserving and hardworking workers.”
(IANS)
