Former State BJP spokesperson Prakash Suman Dhyani who had been removed from the post on disciplinary grounds on Friday alleged that State BJP president and State BJP general secretary (organising) have been trying to gag the party workers who have been raising voices against their dictatorial style of functioning. “The same happened to me as the party leaders trampled the democratic norms while removing me from the post I was holding ,” he said on Saturday.
Sources said that by the move, the party leaders are trying to gauge the extent of resistance from the camp led Garhwal MP and former Chief Minister Maj Gen Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri as Dhyani is deemed close to him.
“It seems that the party factions opposed to Gen Khanduri have targeted Dhyani with a design. The election of State BJP president is scheduled in November. Tirath Singh Rawat was made the State president last time with the support of his mentor Gen Khanduri. But he seems to have shifted his loyalty. Now he and others, not on friendly terms with Gen Khanduri, want to see how far he would go to avenge the humiliation inflicted on his close associate,” a State BJP insider said.
“They have not cared to issue show cause notice. Instead, they went to the media. This makes it clear how they are treating the office bearers of the party. This is what has forced me to express my views through the media,” he said, adding that it was the only option left to him by the State party leadership which deprived him of the scope of defending himself vis-à-vis the charges that triggered his summary removal from his post.
Dhyani said unlike Umesh Aggrawal who staged a sit- in after being removed from the post of the State party spokesperson, he had not gone for it. “My crime is that I had asked the district election officer to do justice regarding the chaos continuing over the election of the Mandal president of Dharampur rural areas. Umesh Aggrwal has been backing a person for the post despite the fact that around 80 percent of the party’s rank and file are against him. Those opposed to the person being foisted as the Mandal president staged dharna to put pressure over the matter. But the leadership punished me for taking up the majority’s cause,” he said.
As far as party President Tirath Singh Rawat’s order to stop him from representing the party in any electronic media, he said this was because of his being vociferous against Harish Rawat government. “A few party leaders do not want to embarrass the state government. They have chosen to be friendly opposition,” he said.
Dhyani further said he would approach the party high command if the state leaders do not hear out his grievances.