BJPman faces disciplinary action

AHMEDABAD, Dec 19: The enforcement of discipline, a trait the Bharatiya Janata Party considers its USP unique selling proposition and has...

AHMEDABAD, Dec 19: The enforcement of discipline, a trait the Bharatiya Janata Party considers its USP unique selling proposition and has spared no efforts to capitalise on, is giving the party headaches in the model state8217; of Gujarat. In the hot seat is disciplinary action committee chairman Praful Barot who is being charged with 8220;inaction on matters relating to indiscipline8221; and who, of all people, is likely to be the one to face disciplinary action.

Barot has been charged with sitting on complaints of indiscipline reported to him. Apparently, he neither took action nor did he forward the complaints to the higher-ups. Party sources say this happened because he made himself available more to the Gujarat Housing Board than the DAC. Barot stoutly denies the charge saying there were nothing serious enough to warrant publicity and that prompt action had been taken at the appropriate levels.

He however refused to divulge details of any specific case. 8220;Whatever action the committee is supposed to take pertains to our internal working of the party and I was asked to head the committee after the dissidents had quit the party,8221; he said suggesting that he had virtually no work to do in his capacity as panel chairman as all those left in the BJP were 8220;disciplined workers8221;. 8220;It is thus not proper to say that several complaints of breach of discipline have cropped up,8221; he argued.

8220;It is a healthy sign for the party that its disciplinary action committee gets no work to do,8221; he added.

But the party has no answer for the recent incidents in the Rajkot district panchayat where as many as 20 BJP members rebelled.

The party is also silent on the issue of its members in the Gandhinagar district panchayat joining hands with the Congress to topple the RJP-ruled panchayat. The BJP leadership chose to look the other way for reasons best known to it. Meanwhile, Barot does not figure in any of the three crucial committees announced early this week to tackle election work; a move which is being viewed as punishment for his inaction. However, Barot himself is unperturbed.

8220;I am too small a party worker to be given work on these important committees,8221; he said. In the same breath, he pointed out that he had at one point dealt with the Election Commission on behalf of the BJP. 8220;I am confident that this task will be entrusted to me this time too,8221; he added.