New Delhi:
New BJP president Rajnath Singh has an unambiguous instruction for his party. "Stay away from greed for money. Avoid financial malpractices." And he promises that the BJP will not give party posts or election ticket to anyone against whom charges of corruption are substantiated.
In an exclusive interview to NDTV, Mr Singh said he agreed with the BJP's seniormost leader LK Advani that there was a need for "morality in politics". He said, "I agree with Advanji, though I cannot guarantee that everyone who is a member of the BJP is free of taint and as pure as the waters of Ganga. But I will ensure that anyone facing charges which are prima facie substantiated will not be allowed to hold a post. And will even be denied a ticket. India is facing a crisis of credibility in politics." (Who is Rajnath Singh?)
This week, Mr Singh emerged as a consensus candidate for the post of BJP president, hours after the income tax department raided offices of companies which had done business with the Purti group, set up by Nitin Gadkari, who was the party president and looked set to get an unprecedented second term.
Mr Advani made his remarks on morality right after Mr Gadkari crashed out of the race and Rajnath Singh was elected president for a three-year term on Wednesday. Mr Advani led a high-decibel anti-corruption campaign against the Congress-led UPA government, but the campaign has virtually died, not least because of the charges of corruption that stacked up against the BJP's own president Mr Gadkari.
Mr Singh's first term as president was tough. It ended a little after the BJP lost the 2009 elections. The party was riven with factionalism then. He says that he is "no miracle man", but he will try to take all his party men along with him. He warned though that internal peace and democracy cannot come at the cost of discipline.
Mr Singh said he would prefer leaders to "avoid going public", referring to the recent rebellion of partymen like Ram and Mahesh Jethamalani against Mr Gadkari.
The new president plans to make some changes to his core team soon. How he will keep the multiple factions together and balance the interests of the Sangh and the party may decide the fate of the BJP in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
In an exclusive interview to NDTV, Mr Singh said he agreed with the BJP's seniormost leader LK Advani that there was a need for "morality in politics". He said, "I agree with Advanji, though I cannot guarantee that everyone who is a member of the BJP is free of taint and as pure as the waters of Ganga. But I will ensure that anyone facing charges which are prima facie substantiated will not be allowed to hold a post. And will even be denied a ticket. India is facing a crisis of credibility in politics." (Who is Rajnath Singh?)
This week, Mr Singh emerged as a consensus candidate for the post of BJP president, hours after the income tax department raided offices of companies which had done business with the Purti group, set up by Nitin Gadkari, who was the party president and looked set to get an unprecedented second term.
Mr Advani made his remarks on morality right after Mr Gadkari crashed out of the race and Rajnath Singh was elected president for a three-year term on Wednesday. Mr Advani led a high-decibel anti-corruption campaign against the Congress-led UPA government, but the campaign has virtually died, not least because of the charges of corruption that stacked up against the BJP's own president Mr Gadkari.
Mr Singh's first term as president was tough. It ended a little after the BJP lost the 2009 elections. The party was riven with factionalism then. He says that he is "no miracle man", but he will try to take all his party men along with him. He warned though that internal peace and democracy cannot come at the cost of discipline.
Mr Singh said he would prefer leaders to "avoid going public", referring to the recent rebellion of partymen like Ram and Mahesh Jethamalani against Mr Gadkari.
The new president plans to make some changes to his core team soon. How he will keep the multiple factions together and balance the interests of the Sangh and the party may decide the fate of the BJP in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
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