Click to play videoNew Delhi: Arun Jaitley has been enjoying his cricket in the English summer even as the situation in the BJP back in India has turned volcanic.
The Rajya Sabha Opposition leader on Tuesday quit as party general-secretary. However, his detractors are making it look like admission of guilt after a spate public criticism by senior leaders like Jaswant Singh and Yashwant Sinha. The latter even resigned from all posts in the party in protest.
Jaitley's resignation was accepted immediately.
A section in the party now wants the National Executive to be postponed till matters cool down, but the BJP leadership has decided to go ahead with the two-day meet that will even discuss reasons for its defeat in Elections 2009. However, hackles have been raised in party circles with the timing of the leakage of the report that the National Executive may be postponed.
BJP President Rajnath Singh confirmed the same on Tuesday saying, "It (the National Executive) will be held on time, on June 30 and 31."
What is worse for the party is that now even the NDA allies have joined the debate over BJP's debacle.
Shiv Sena Chief Bal Thackeray in his party's mouthpiece Saamna asked both Leader of the Opposition L K Advani and Rajnath Singh to take responsibility for the party's poor performance. Some close Advani aides are also questioning the political strategy adopted by BJP's prime ministerial candidate in the run up to the elections.
A close aide of Advani's, Swapan Dasgupta said, "He converted the election into presidential form."
The battle lines are clearly drawn within the party and things could become worse in the days to come. It seems as if the BJP may well have to have to elect a new president before the end of this year.
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter and Google+)
displayed with permission. Use of the CNN name and/or logo on or as part of CNN-IBN does not derogate from the intellectual property rights of Cable News Network in respect of them.