By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 17 Jul: Former Chief Minister and MP Tirath Singh Rawat’s speech at the BJP’s extended State Executive Meeting on Monday has now become a hot topic for discussion in the political circles of the state. The video of his speech at the meeting, where he is seen advising the party to not impose anyone and not to ignore committed party workers has been made viral by not only a section of media but also by several Congress leaders who are now claiming that all is not well within the BJP and that, after the party’s defeat in the recently held bypolls, the inner differences are beginning to surface.
It may be recalled that Tirath Singh Rawat’s speech came as a shocker to several people in the BJP too as he did not mince his words. It may be recalled that, this time, the outgoing Pauri MP Tirath Singh Rawat was denied a ticket allegedly to accommodate Anil Baluni who had retired as Rajya Sabha MP some time before the Lok Sabha Elections. Before that Tirath Singh Rawat had been appointed as CM by the party high command and within months was also unceremoniously ousted. Hence, Rawat had grounds to express his grudge during his speech. Surprisingly, his speech along with that of the former Chief Minister Vijay Bahunguna had drawn the biggest applause from the party workers. His pain was visible in the working committee meeting. Rawat said that the workers are the only important ones in the party. The chair is never permanent for anyone. He said that nothing should be imposed on the workers. His speech assumes importance in view of the fact that both the candidates of the party in the recently concluded assembly byelections were imports from other parties. It can’t be denied that there is a feeling of disappointment among the party workers and leaders who have dedicated their lives to the party.
The speech created a flutter within the party and it is learnt that Rawat has been summoned to Delhi. However, it is the Opposition leaders who made his speech viral trying to create the impression that all is not well within the party and that fissures are surfacing. Buoyed by recent wins in the byelections, Congress leaders have upped their propaganda against the BJP and the State in trying to bring down the image of the party in the eyes of the public. At the same time, party leaders like former CM Trivendra Singh Rawat sought to remind that the recently concluded byelections were a no profit, no loss affair for the party. BJP did not gain any seat, nor did it lose any that was held by it in the byelection. Certain party leaders also say that the party leadership should not allow the Congress to attempt to gain upper hand against the BJP as it was the BJP which had won all the five Lok Sabha elections from the state and that too under the circumstances where it lost some seats in other states in the parliamentary elections.
