BJP felicitates RMC ward councillors

Vijay Deo Jha Thursday, April 3, 2008

Realising the importance of newly elected RMC councillors, the State BJP tried for a political baptism of 15 of them by felicitating them by two of its prominent leaders, including its national vice-president, Yaswant Sinha and Arjun Munda. However, only 11 councillors could turn up for being felicitated. It also seems that the party leaders are trying to correct two political mistakes made during the RMC election - one by not supporting anyone in the election and another by extending support to the Ranchi bandh in support of the defeated candidates. At least, on the issue of Ranchi bandh, the party had a tough time to explain to the people. It was already exposed how an individual leader of the party announced the party supporting the strike which was far from the reality. That's why the party hurriedly decided to felicitate some 15 newly elected councillors who are close to the party ideology. Out of 15 there are at least four such councillors including Sanjeev Vijayvarjee, Sunil Yadav, Sunita Devi and Veena Devi who are the office-bearers of the party as claimed by Gama Singh, the district president of the party. But, Singh denies calling it a face saving exercise and maintains the party had already decided to felicitate them just after the announcement of the result. However, some of the state leaders were apparently clueless about this programme including Arjun Munda who got this information through media sources. The senior party functionaries including the State president PN Singh were absent from the felicitation function due to their pre engagement, as said by PN singh.But the issue of 'no support in RMC election' and some of the party leaders taking unilateral decision to support Ranchi bandh have not died down yet. The central leadership had asked the State leaders to find the possibility of fighting the RMC election on the party line which was agreed by the State BJP. But on finding the directives of the Government not to allow this election on the party line the State BJP decided to extend backdoor support to any of its candidates which could not materialise. However, Viranchi Narayan, the party spokesperson denied that the party was any more defensive about it, but, the sources say that in the next week the party would discuss all these issue. But, at present, the party sees the RMC election as a great achievement.