Mid-Vyapam Crisis, BJP Chief Slams Media Reports About 'Chhoti si Baat'

The negative reports in the media are a small thing and one should not be upset by it, BJP chief Amit Shah told party workers today during his address to the zonal leaders.  

"It will make no difference if a small thing (chhoti si baat) is repeatedly aired by the channels... A section of the media is working with an anti-BJP agenda," sources quoted Mr Shah as saying.

Mr Shah's comment comes as the BJP is facing Congress charges about a cover-up following the deaths of 35 people with direct or indirect links to the Vyapam scam, a huge admission and recruitment racket in Madhya Pradesh that allegedly involves top bureaucrats and politicians.

Besides, Union minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje are drawing Congress fire for their links with tainted cricket Mogul Lalit Modi. In Maharashtra, allegations of corruption against Cabinet Ministers Pankaja Munde and Vinod Tawde and the row over Tawde's fake degree have added to the party's problems.

Exhorting the leaders to "have faith in the leadership," Mr Shah reportedly said even the people know that only Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership has the strength to "ride the storms".
"We have to rise above the mentality of losers," he added.

Mr Shah was in Mumbai to launch the Mahasampark Abhiyan - a mass contact programme for five states - through which the party hopes to reach out to the people. He also met the leaders of Goa, Gujarat and Mahrashtra to review their performances and do a stock-taking.

Hoping to keep the momentum going in the long run, Mr Shah reportedly told party workers, "We cannot change the picture in five years. We have to keep Modi in power for a longer time. We have to work hard."

Earlier this week, Mr Shah had restructured the party set-up, assigning key roles to his confidantes and constituting new departments relating to good governance, coordination with states and media relations.

The restructure came as a need was being felt to tone up the party's presence in the wake of mounting attacks by opposition on BJP governments at the Centre and the states.