The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday broke its silence over the criticism for going into election with the AJSU party despite vehement opposition from the party leaders in Jharkhand. It also sounded optimistic about dissident voices falling silent in light of the grounds on which the decision was made by the Central leadership of the party.
The party justified the decision of joining hands with AJSU party and projected it as sacrifice for greater good of the State. “We had to make alliance as warranted by the evolving circumstances. Sometimes smaller sacrifices are made for greater good. The alliance is very limited (in scope),” said BJP’s Jharkhand in-charge, Trivendra Singh Rawat without going into details of what were the “evolving circumstances” for forging the alliance.
Though, the BJP’s justification reflected hard bargaining and a step claimed not detrimental to the interests of the party. The justification also aimed as a gesture to placate agitated party workers, who were protesting party’s decision to contest election with AJSU despite senior party leaders of the State expressing reservations about taking Sudesh Mahto led party on board.
“We made them (AJSU) come down to eight seats while they had demanded 18. Nonetheless, in principle we still believe that a single party government should be made,” added Rawat.
Notably, the decision to go with AJSU had sparked a series of protests within the BJP making senior party leaders especially Ranchi MP Ram Tahal Choudhary to write a letter to the central leadership mentioning reasons for not going with AJSU party and the consequences in the assembly election if an alliance is formed. But the party believes that the protestors will soon realise the rationale for going with the AJSU and the protest will subside.
As per the agreement between the parties, the AJSU is likely to contest from eight seats however they have maintained silence over candidates from seats other than the six constituencies. The BJP, on the other hand, has released a list of 63 candidates who will be contesting on the party’s ticket.
Meanwhile, Rawat accused the State government of harbouring anti-BJP sentiments and deliberate doing acts with potentially devastating consequences for the party and its leaders. Talking to media, Rawat brought attention towards wrong coordinates given to the team of BJP comprising senior leaders who were on aerial route to Chhatarpur. Based on the coordinates given the helicopter carrying BJP leaders had reached Kasmar instead of Chhatarpur.
“This is an act criminal in nature. We have registered a complaint with the Chief Electoral Officer and have brought the act to the notice of DGCA to take proper action against officials responsible for it,” Rawat said.