The BJP’s victory celebration at Gujarat BJP headquarters ‘Kamalam’ in Gandhinagar on May 4 snowballed into a political embarrassment after state BJP president Jagadish Vishwakarma wrongly credited Rabindranath Tagore instead of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee as the composer of ‘Vande Mataram’. The slip-up, made publicly in the presence of the chief minister and deputy chief minister during celebrations for the BJP’s five-state poll victories, triggered a fierce Congress attack. Congress leader Hemang Rawal accused the BJP of “doing politics in the name of Vande Mataram.”
Narmada local poll rout sparks internal rebellion
The BJP’s defeat in Gujarat’s Narmada local body polls has triggered an internal rebellion, with senior BJP MP Mansukh Vasava attacking the district leadership during a party brainstorming session. Explosive allegations flew as Vasava accused district leaders of having a “nexus” with opposition leader Chaitar Vasava and demanded that incapable office-bearers resign immediately. Targeting district BJP chief Neel Rao, Vasava mocked him for “waking up at 9-10 am and sitting in AC offices” instead of fighting elections. He also called district in-charge Arjun Chaudhary a “puppet.”
BJP accused of doing ‘politics over water’
Even before the political dust of the Morbi Municipal Corporation elections could settle, a fresh controversy has erupted from Ward No. 3, where Congress has accused BJP leaders of “politics over water”. Former Morbi Congress president Mukesh Gami alleged that BJP corporators denied drinking water to residents who allegedly did not support the party in elections. The charge surfaced after screenshots from a BJP election WhatsApp group went viral, allegedly showing leaders insulting residents complaining about severe summer water shortages in Mahendranagar.
Dilip Singh Kshatriya
Our correspondent in Gujarat
dilipsingh@newindianexpress.com