Advani tells BJP not to be demoralised by poll defeat

INDORE - Calling upon party workers not to get demoralised by electoral defeats, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L. K. Advani said here Thursday that the party has to widen its geographic and social base to emerge as a serious contender for power in the next parliamentary poll.

“Our geographical and social base has to expand. Stagnation in some states, partial erosion in certain traditional strongholds, and virtual absence in some big states has served as a severe constraint on our political strategy,” Advani said in his concluding remarks at the party’s national council meeting.

He said no factor hurt the party more in the last parliamentary elections than the public image of the BJP not being a united house. “There was a time when unity and discipline were among the greatest strengths of our party. We have to regain this traditional strength.”

Attacking the Congress-led government on the issues of price rise, talks with Pakistan and its proposals regarding Kashmir, he said 2009 verdict was not a positive mandate over its performance.

“If elections were held today, the price rise will alone ensure the rout of the Congress, Advani claimed, listing corruption and mismanagement of production and distribution of essential commodities among the reasons for rise in prices.

Warning the government against any move to restore pre-1953 status of Jammu and Kashmir, Advani said the BJP “will spare no sacrifice” against any such decision.

The former deputy prime minister said that the party was disappointed at its defeat in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls but it has drawn right lessons from the setback.

He said party workers should not feel despondent over election defeats as the party has braved such setbacks in the past. “Getting demoralised or losing confidence after an election defeat is not sign of a good worker,” he said.

Beginning his speech by greeting six party chief ministers, two deputy chief ministers and other party leaders, Advani said BJP was a party with difference because it was not run on dynastic lines.

“We belong to Sangh parivar (Sangh family) but there is no scope for dynastic politics (in the BJP),” he said.

In an apparent counter to Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi’s thrust on promoting young leadership, Advani said the BJP has “leadership depth” and its new president Nitin Gadkari belongs to the third generation of leadership in the party.

“His team, I am sure, will feature several people from the fourth generation of the leadership,” he said, adding “the party was spotting and grooming promising activists who were younger still”.

Referring to Gadkari’s performance as public works minister in Maharashtra, Advani said by electing him as president, the party had proved its commitment to development-focused politics and governance.

Laying stress on performance of BJP-ruled states, he said Gujarat was an “outstanding success story”.

Noting it was him who suggested holding the party conclave at Indore, Advani said he had attended his first Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) training camp at Indore in 1943 and his journey since had been “inspiring and fulfilling”.

Advani, who is chairman of BJP parliamentary party, said the purpose of leaders staying in tents at the party conclave was not to cut down on expenditure but to experience camaraderie and commitment.

Some 5,000 delegates gathered near Indore city for the three-day national executive and national council meetings that end Friday. Almost all the party members stayed in the sprawling tented accomodation.