Indore:
They dressed in new headgear to do new battle. But the smiling faces did not tell the tale of what is being described as the worst dressing down ever by a BJP president.
For Nitin Gadkari made it clear to BJP leaders on Wednesday that infighting and factionalism - issues that have riven the party and caused it great political damage - will not be tolerated.
In the presence of senior leaders like L K Advani, Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj, Gadkari minced no words to say:
- command respect, don't demand it
- problems are created by big leaders, not small workers
- perform or perish
The new man in town, the BJP's youngest-ever president, has set the agenda for not just the on-going three-day executive meet, but the party at large. A course correction is on in every direction.
The party, traditionally seen to favour Hindus and the upper castes, is now adopting the mantra of inclusiveness. Gadkari kicked off his Indore trip with lunch at a Dalit's home and then was off to visit BR Ambedkar's birth place, Mhow.
A clear signal that the party is ready to fight for Dalit votes. "The party remains wedded to fight against untouchability," said party spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad.
The BJP may insist that it is not influenced by Rahul Gandhi's success, but the Gadkari strategy is similar. And well thought out. The visit to Ambedkar's home was tactical. After Partition, Ambedkar had fallen out with the Congress. (
Read: Gadkari pulls a Rahul ahead of BJP's big meet)
The other signs are there for all to see too. An austere conclave in tents, the antyoday scheme - all point to the course correction.
And perhaps the most significant is the one on Hindutva. The Ram temple movement alienated Muslims and gave the BJP a communal tag.
So a shift to something more appeasing now - the environment. Through the clean Ganga campaign. "All attempts to protect heritage, social and cultural values are inclusive," says veteran leader Murli Manohar Joshi.