Ahead of Bharatiya Janata Party’s two-day joint national executive meeting involving all its seven frontal organisations, posters, hoardings, billboards, huge arches displaying pictures of BJP leaders and saffron flags have flooded Patna. All roads, lanes and by-lanes leading to Patna’s Gyan Bhawan near the historic Gandhi Maidan, have been plastered with saffron flags, banners and arches welcoming two party stalwarts, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and party’s national president J.P. Nadda and others for the meeting, beginning on Saturday.
These two leaders would address as many as 750 delegates and 350 office-bearers coming from other States. Meanwhile, several of the party delegates who have reached Patna, have been sent to 200 Assembly constituencies out of total 243 in the State, to hold interactions with local party functionaries, workers and sympathisers with focus on the next parliamentary election in 2024. BJP, apparently, has left out 43 constituencies won by its ruling alliance partner JD(U) in the 2020 Assembly election. But, the party delegates would return to Patna to participate in the executive committee meeting from Saturday, said State party chief Sanjay Jaiswal. “It is a noble experiment undertaken by the party where delegates from other States will have an opportunity to familiarise themselves with local culture and add value to party activities conducted in respective constituencies”, Mr. Jaiswal said.
However, JD(U) sources said Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is not comfortable with the BJP meeting. Mr. Kumar, suffering from Covid-19, though has refrained from making any comment on the meeting. His party leaders too have maintained silence on it. “The country has been suffering from economic slump these days and the Central government should provide special category status to Bihar instead of focusing on holding such mega meetings,” said a JD(U) leader preferring anonymity. “Such meetings at this time will definitely underline the trust deficit between two ruling alliance partners,” he added, requesting anonymity.
