The state executive committee meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party was a picture of uneasy calm. It was for the first time the committee met since Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had left for his treatment to the United States, and the absence of their leader was clearly felt. Not only members appeared disjointed, but there was a discreet silence on all key issues that the party is faced with at the moment.
What the members ended up discussing for the major part of the meeting was the status of Parrikar’s health and the announcement that he hopes to return by the third week of May. All that the BJP executive could do was to break the long silence over CM’s recovery process and his tentative return schedule. Details of Parrikar’s conversation with party members including expression of regret that he could not make it to the meeting were the highlights of the meet.
Surprisingly, besides the talk on Parrikar, Congress Party’s subtle moves to destablise the government and government’s show of solidarity with the mining-affected people, there was nothing else the state executive of the BJP could put on the table for discussion. In fact, the key issues that the state and the party are facing were completely ignored. On top of the list is the unemployment issue with government freezing its recruitment process. Connected to this is the case where private companies are found to be scouting for “outside labour’’. Not a word was spoken about the PDA and the Regional Plan issues which had sent shivers down the spine of the ruling dispensation. Neither was party’s strategy for the forthcoming Ponda Municipal polls discussed, when the Congress and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party have already drawn battle lines.
The BJP executive appears to be more burdened with implementing flagship schemes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and working out modalities for their president Amit Shah’s visit to the State on May 13.
Besides the issues facing them, the BJP has a serious leadership crisis staring at them. Moving ahead, the party top brass should sit together and give a deep thought to building up a second rung of leaders. It is this crisis which the opposition will try to explore and any moves to destablise the government will be solely centered around this aspect. In case Parrikar’s treatment goes into extra time, BJP will have to come up with options of leaders who can not only shoulder the responsibility of the government till Parrikar returns, but also leaders who are acceptable to the allies.
