Bhopal: It has been nearly 10 months since the BJP returned to power in Madhya Pradesh and has now also secured an absolute majority in the state but the biggest challenge before it is to control the dissidence brewing in the party.
The BJP lost in the Assembly elections held in 2018 but wrested power in March 2019, following a rebellion in the ruling Congress led by former Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. Following this, in the by-elections held in 28 Assembly constituencies the BJP won 19 seats and the Congress nine. The BJP now has an absolute majority.
Since then with the expansion of the cabinet and the party organisation along with appointments to various corporations and boards, BJP leaders were looking forward to being inducted. Recently, another expansion of the cabinet took place and two MLAs who had won in the by-elections were appointed ministers. Earlier they had to resign from the cabinet after six months since they were not even MLAs.
This left many BJP leaders miffed with the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government for not getting a berth in the fourth cabinet expansion. This anger was openly expressed by BJP MLA Ajay Vishnoi who also accused the state government of neglecting the Vindhya and Mahakaushal regions.
On the other hand, the expansion of the state party organisation has been going on for a long time and many times it was said that the party executive would be announced soon, but it has been getting delayed. Along with this many leaders were hoping to be appointed to corporations and boards.
On the discontent brewing within the BJP, former minister Umashankar Gupta said that it could be an individual personal problem. He added that Ajay Vishnoi is a senior leader, his concerns may be natural but the organisation has to think thoroughly before taking any decision.
On the dissent in the BJP, Congress leader and former minister Sajjan Singh Verma hinted that 35 MLAs were in touch with the Congress. He said that those who want to be in power will not be happy with the organisation. There are 35 MLAs who have been elected six and seven times, are far ahead in terms of seniority, and had been promised posts on coming to power.
Political analyst Saji Thomas said that those in politics want participation in the organisation with a share in power. The BJP is in power and those leaders who want to be in office will naturally be dissatisfied and unhappy with the party on being left out.
This is also a challenge for the organisation, but the chances of rebellion in the BJP are quite low, so both political power and the organization remain in 'smooth waters'.
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