BJP State leaders confused over Central stand on BJD

Bhubaneswar v sk Senior BJP leader Murli Monohar Joshi had a tough time here on Sunday when he wanted to call on injured Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

Joshi, who had come on a two-day visit, had finally to refrain from his bid to visit the Naveen Niwas as the BJP State leadership opposed the proposal tooth and nail.

“Joshiji had intentions to visit Naveen Patnaik after coming to know about his leg injury. However, he changed his mind at the last minute in view of the resentment expressed by the party leaders here,” said a senior BJP leader.

The State leaders even had to call up BJP national president Nitin Gadkari, who, in his turn, rang up Joshi and advised him to go by the sentiments of the State party leadership.

Joshi, to the disappointment of the State party leaders, did not also open his mouth against the Patnaik-led BJD Government all along his

40-minute Press conference even as journalists insisted on him to speak on the corruptions in the State. “BJP is opposed to scams and corruption at any place in the country,” was Joshi’s only response.

The BJP central leadership’s apparent soft corner toward its former ally, the BJD, and its chief Naveen Patnaik was once again evident after party stalwart LK Advani’s visit to the State last month. Advani, during his Rath Yatra, had also preferred to maintain silence about the corruption in the BJD Government.

The BJP State unit, which is totally opposed to the BJD and Patnaik, is quite confused and unhappy over the stand of the party central leadership on the State politics as is clear from the informal talks with the State leaders. And political observers feel that the BJP high command may be contemplating revival of the alliance with the BJD before the 2014 general elections.