With its Uttar Pradesh strategy gone for a toss, the BJP leadership here today resolved to ‘‘open a new chapter’’ in the state and undertake a ‘‘reconstruction of the party at all levels’’. The resolve came at a national office-bearers’ meeting, which was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani at Hotel Ashok here. A ritualistic monthly exercise on the face of it, the meeting had serious business on its agenda — stock-taking of poll-preparations in the five election-bound states and a review of the UP scene in the aftermath of the collapse of the BJP-BSP coalition in UP. Meanwhile, Parivar elders meet in Agra AGRA: Maintaining a veil of secrecy around the convention centre, Keshav Dham, the RSS and the VHP on Wednesday concluded their three day special meet in Vrindavan. Attended by the fire-brand duo of VHP’s Ashok Singhal and RSS’s Praveen Togadia, leaders of the two organisations did not reveal much about the agenda of the deliberations. But sources inform that the meeting was specially called to formulate an agenda for the BJP for the next general elections and a strategy to be followed by the Parivar once the ASI report on Ayodhya is filed. — Siraj Qureshi According to general secretary Pramod Mahajan, Advani told the office-bearers in his valedictory address: ‘‘It will be the beginning of a new chapter in UP now. In short term, we may feel having lost a partner. In the long run, we would emerge as the real Opposition.’’ Reiterated party chief Venkaiah Naidu: ‘‘In UP, we will have to use the political developments for reconstructing the organisation and regaining mass support by providing nationalist alternative. Thus, let us start a new chapter.’’ The fact, however, is that the leadership itself does not know from where to begin. A sizeable number of MLAs is reported to be up in arms against legislature party leader Lalji Tandon. Two MLAs — Chandrakant Singh and Ramesh Lavania — stayed away during the voting on confidence motion on Monday, while two others — Narendra Verma and Ravindra Pundir — spoke in favour of the new Chief Minister.
