‘In every party, there is difference of opinion… it brings the best decision, it should not be taken as groupism’

  • | Monday | 10th December, 2018

In terms of Lok Sabha elections, the decision is taken by the election committee at the top level. AdvertisingThe recent firing incident at a bar during a party hosted by BJP member Sahdev Salaria, who is associated with BJP MP Kirron Kher, also intensified groupism. Do you see yourself as a contender in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections? The difference of opinion should not be taken as groupism. The basic point is that when someone has to be inducted into BJP, the BJP state president, district president or mandal president has to be there.

Sanjay Tandon who will be completing nine years as Chandigarh BJP president next month speaks to Chandigarh Newsline about the increasing factionalism in the party Advertising The factionalism within the BJP has intensified in the last few months. It is quite evident in the general house meetings where it is more of BJP vs BJP. What do you have to say about it ? In every party, there is difference of opinion. And I think this brings the best decision on table. The difference of opinion should not be taken as groupism. As far as the house meetings are concerned, some people behave in an impulsive manner at a particular moment and I expect them to control keeping in mind the overall position of the party. The solid waste management agenda where MC is to take over the garbage collection work from independent garbage collectors is not being approved for the last three months because of opposition within BJP councillors. The solid waste management project is not suffering because of any groupism. The project should have been undertaken after taking garbage collectors on board whose daily earnings are affected. And that is why those people objected to it. To take everybody along is the duty of every government or every democratic set-up. Mayor elections are scheduled to be held in January and there have been incidents of cross-voting in the past. Don’t you think this factionalism will tell upon the results of Mayoral polls? A BJP councillor is going to be the Mayor in the coming year. And all this would be done amicably. No cross-voting of any kind shall be tolerated by the party. Advertising The recent firing incident at a bar during a party hosted by BJP member Sahdev Salaria, who is associated with BJP MP Kirron Kher, also intensified groupism. You were quite vocal in raising the issue of wrong induction of members in BJP. The basic point is that when someone has to be inducted into BJP, the BJP state president, district president or mandal president has to be there. Here in this case, when these people were inducted, neither I nor any of my representatives were informed or taken on board about this decision. On the day of the induction, when a reporter asked me about my absence, I said that I am not aware of it. And when this incident took place, I was asked “what action will you take aginst people who used firearms in a birthday party being your party workers”. So I clearly told them that they are not members of the party since the proper procedure of their induction has not been followed. So far as the birthday party is concerned, there is nothing wrong in organising the party and inviting people of one’s choice. However, in this case, the choice of invitees by the host is under question for which only he can answer, whereas the other guests in the party cannot be held accountable for this lapse. After you raised questions on induction, it was alleged by some councillors that you too have inducted people who have criminal background. I have not inducted any such person into the party. If such information is there with them, they can share with me and I will get it investigated. Eleven BJP councillors holding allegiance to MP Kirron Kher had written to national president Amit Shah seeking your removal. What do you have to say about it? There are thousands of letters written to the national president but they are not made public. It would have been much better that such a letter should also have been kept under wraps. To gain popularity, some leaders used these mechansims and leaked the letter to the press and then gave statements which should have been avoided at all costs. However, many signatories to the letter have also retracted and felt sorry. Certain councillors also alleged that you were intentionally targeting the MP and maligning her image because you want the Lok Sabha ticket in the elections. My response is quite clear about induction. I have not targeted anyone. It is difficult to comment on concocted stories. Do you see yourself as a contender in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections? In terms of Lok Sabha elections, the decision is taken by the election committee at the top level. If they give me a chance, of course we will do our best and if they decide for somebody else, then we will work for that person to win.

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