'Don't put power on sale': BJP leaders upset with Rajya Sabha candidates

New Delhi: It's Nitin Gadkari versus the rest of the BJP leadership. A crisis over the party president's alleged choice of candidates for the Rajya Sabha has led to BJP veteran LK Advani asking for an emergency meeting of BJP leaders.  

Another senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha has reportedly warned that the selection of unsuitable nominees makes it tough for him to serve on different parliamentary committees; he said the selection of candidates will impact the BJP's image and anti-corruption plank. At a meeting of the party leadership today, one member warned, "Jab satta bikne lagti hai to samapt ho jaati hai" - a warning that translates as "When power is on sale, the end is near."

There are two candidates who leaders like Mr Advani are opposed to. Anshuman Mishra, an independent NRI candidate, a businessman from London. The party has expressed concerns about his integrity and his background. From Maharashtra, Ajay Sancheti, a businessman and a member of the BJP national executive, has been nominated. But he allegedly has links to the Adarsh scam - politicians and bureaucrats helped themselves to flats in a building meant for war widows and Army veterans.  

Mr Mishra's candidacy has fuelled so much opposition that Mr Advani wants a whip issued that would make it necessary for MLAs in Jharkhand from his party to vote against the entrepreneur. Mr Sinha said that it was unfair for the party to support an outsider rather than fielding its own candidate. Mr Sinha suggested that rooting for a businessman would tempt the party's MLAs to sell their vote.  

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"Six Jharkhand MLAs and two ministers signed this candidate's nomination papers. That shows loud and clear the party's support for him...why bring in a rank outsider? I felt pained," Mr Sinha told NDTV, also pointing out that supporting Mr Mishra would only add to Jharkhand's image as "happy hunting ground for the rich." In strong words Mr Sinha said, "Our MLAs should not be auctioned...there are ways for our MLAs to avoid voting for him."
Mr Sinha says he had not even heard of Anshuman Mishra, who, however, claimed today that, "I have good relations with all big BJP leaders." Mr Mishra said he was contesting elections with the support of senior leaders and if the party leadership opposed to supporting him, "I will withdraw my candidature."

There is more resentment within the BJP over the denial of a ticket to veteran leader, and BJP's deputy leader in Rajya Sabha, S S Ahluwalia.

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As the crisis escalated, Mr Gadkari met with the party's parent-body, the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), in Nagpur today.

However, on record, party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar has denied the talk of any dissent, saying, "There is no question of anyone being unhappy within the party."

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Mr Gadkari has provoked serious dissent within the party in recent months. Before the UP elections, he allowed Babu Singh Kushwaha, a minister in the UP government who was fired by his party chief Mayawati for corruption. Mr Gadkari's colleagues like Sushma Swaraj, Uma Bharti and Maneka Gandhi said this would hurt the party's credibility. Mr Kushwaha was persuaded by the BJP to then announce that he had voluntarily decided to put his membership of the BJP on hold till he was cleared of corruption charges.  He is now in jail.

Mr Gadkari is also finding it tough to manage a revolt in Karnataka, where the BJP is in power. Former Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa wants to return to office immediately. He has the support of more than half the party's representatives in the Karnataka Assembly and therefore has the strength to split the party and bring down the government, if the crisis should deepen.