Kushwaha episode behind debacle, UP BJP leaders blame

Uttar Pradesh BJP has blamed the Kushwaha episode for the major debacle in the state assembly election. The facts have revealed out after the state leaders have been started the post-mortem of the party debacle.

Although it is surprising that all the leaders who were busy that time that Kushwaha's entry will be forced the party strategy for the OBC vote but now they have been criticising the same. These leaders till recently were selling Kushwaha's entry into the party as "an effort to save a wronged OBC leader who was used and then dumped into political oblivion by the ruling BSP". Smarting under a never before humiliation at the hustings in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP has made the chinks in its armour more obvious than ever.

It is noted that on Monday, former BJP state president Surya Pratap Shahi made it clear that he was not taken into confidence on the Kushwaha entry into the party fold and that he was "informed two hours prior to the entry". However, Shahi and party vice-president Vinay Katiyar had welcomed the former BSP leader into the party with a bouquet of roses.

Another senior leaders of the state said that this was the worst moment for us, a time when we were fighting graft; here we were hugging a thoroughly corrupt man.

Kalraj Mishra, senior BJP leader, said that development had certainly dented the party's image, while former national president and chief minister Rajnath Singh too conceded that Kushwaha's entry "did not help the party in the state assembly polls".

It is noted that Babu Singh Kushwaha, one of Mayawati's most trusted "backroom boys" was forced to resign as state minister on April 7, 2011, after his name surfaced in the multi-crore National Rural Health Mission funds scam. He was taken by the BJP just before the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls it had created much hue and cry in the state party unit and also in central leadership was divided on his entry in the party.

(With inputs from IANS)