(Online Desk)
If the advancing age factor may be the primary consideration of the new BJP leadership, the Opposition unwilling to buy their narrative. They cry foul that BJP deliberately sidelining them, ignoring their contributions in building that party over the years.
On Tuesday, yet another senior BJP leader Murali Manohar Joshi, was denied ticket. This was confirmed by the leader’s office. It claimed that the party leadership has politely asked Joshi ji restrain from contesting the ensuing Lok Sabha polls.
This triggered a controversy and also given some ‘fodder’ for the Opposition, especially the Congress to attack the BJP for humiliating and embarrassing their own leaders, in a bid ‘expose’ the leadership intensions among electorate.
BJP earliest denied party’s tallest leader Lal Kishen Advani from Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constitueny. He was replaced by party president Amit Shah.
Though, there was no ‘protest’ or ‘complain’ from the septuagenarian leader, yet the Opposition criticized Modi-Shah duo responsible for systematically pushing senior leaders within that party onto sidelines.
However, BJP defended its decision citing advancing age factor of Advani as he has already attained 91 years.
In case of Joshi, his Kanpur office was quick to confirm. An official statement issued by his office admitted that Joshi had been advised not to enter electoral fray. In fact, the 85-year-old Joshi had won from Kanpur in 2014 polls.
The statement said BJP general secretary (organisation) Ram Lal, a Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) appointee, had conveyed Joshi the party leadership’s decision that he should not be contesting the elections.
He had vacated Varanasi seat, which he had won in 2009, for Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014.
It, however, remains to be seen if the former Union minister, who along with former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Advani, was seen as BJP’s face for more than two decades, will reconcile to the decision or not.