Haryana » Politics

Posted at: Nov 17 2015 12:00AM

BJP gen secy Jain to review govt performance

Geetanjali Gayatri

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 16

BJP legislators have been mandated to present the one-year report card of the Manohar Lal Khattar government when party general secretary, Anil Jain, gives them an individual hearing over the next two days.

Sources said that the Bihar loss has rattled the party so much that it wants to re-establish its stranglehold on the states it rules, explaining Jain’s two-day session with the MLAs. This, however, is likely to translate into more pressure, a bigger headache and greater organisational interference for the Khattar government in the state.

Sources said that Jain will individually meet every party MLA to get a first-hand account of the government working and its shortcomings, virtually asking for Khattar’s report card on the government’s one year of rule in the state. He is also expected to seek ideas on improving the government working, re-connecting with the people and initiatives that will drive up the government’s popularity.

While Jain will first have a meeting with every minister he will follow it up with a closed door meeting with the MLAs who will take turns to air their grievances and give their impressions of government working.

This is not the first time that the party in charge is holding such a meeting of the ministers and MLAs which undermines the position of the CM and indicates direct interference of Delhi bosses.

Sources said that the BJP which formed the first ever government in Haryana last year has been in the line of fire from various quarters for its decisions or the lack of them and is still working on getting its act together.

The differences within the party, too, have been very pronounced with Khattar waging a lonely battle against all odds and holding fort despite lack of cooperation from within his party. With his cabinet full of chief ministerial contenders looking to cash in on the slightest slip, sources in the BJP said that the meeting by the central party leadership is aimed at driving home the need to sink individual differences and consolidate the party position instead of giving in to bickering which is harming the party prospects.