Discipline axe may fell Shanta

The annexures sent to him also include the reports on the press conference held by his wife Santosh Shailaja at Palampur at which she had said she was under pressure from her supporters to contest the elections.

The notice, according to sources, was sent to Kumar last week. It followed a meeting of senior BJP leaders at the party headquarters on March 2 in which Vajpayee and Advani talked dissensions within the Himachal unit, which led to the defeat. Both leaders underlined the same at the Parliamentary party meeting yesterday. Advani also suggested that Naidu should be authorised to take action in cases of indiscipline.

Though Kumar had met Vajpayee and Advani after receiving the notice, the matter was far from being settled. Efforts to reach Kumar drew a blank. Usually accessible, the minister was determined to keep his counsel to perhaps avoid a repeat of what he had done earlier.

It is sheer chance that Kumar’s outburst in the aftermath of the defeat came at a time when the BJP was gearing itself to enforce discipline. He has come handy for the high command, which is itching to set an example to the rank and file. However, when compared to what dissident leaders like Ganga Bhakt Singh said and did in UP in the recent past, Kumar’s remarks would pale into insignificance.