Mahajan urges cadres to concentrate on elections

In his speech, Mahajan expressed resentment against bureaucratic lethargy, on their not being sensitive to public issues.

Ministers in the State should keep tabs on the bureaucracy and they should remind themselves that political parties preceded Government, not vice versa, Mahajan said.

The BJP, Mahajan opined, believed that even as political power was ultimately for the betterment of common man, bu should be ready to abdicate for the interest of people.

Commenting on the party’s organisational aspect, Mahajan said its entire success including attaining power rests squarely and completely on the efforts of cadres. However, he strongly felt that the cadres were dissatisfied at the kind of treatment meted out by the bureaucracy on a decree by their own minister.

The BJP leader revealed that this year the party had organised a convention of sarpanchs and party activists in Mumbai, to by way of diluting its largely rural base and including urban areas in its programmes. Refering to the “aajivan sahayogi nidhi”, he said the scheme that had taken off with only 5000 members aimed at 25000 by December 25, the birth date of BJP leader Atal Behari Vajpayee. By 2002 AD, BJP should reach its membership to one crore, Mahajan said.

Senior BJP leader AB Vajpayee who was also present commented on the UP situation saying, “Every saint has a past and every criminal a future”. Referring to the induction of some MLAs with alleged criminal records into UP cabinet, he said, “if they indulge in any criminal activity after becoming ministers, they will not be spared.