MUMBAI: The Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) leadership blamed the “influx” for the loss of BJP in the preceding state assembly polls. Chandrakant Patil, Maharashtra BJP president addressing the party workers in Pune admitted that they lost the state assembly elections because of ‘defectors influx’. “We neglected our own leaders and loyal party workers. We wrongly promoted an opportunist defector who left the Congress and the NCP and joined the BJP in hope of power. But we lost the power because of them,” Patil said.
However, Patil on Saturday said that media is twisting his statement. “The decision of inducting Opposition leaders and legislators were taken jointly in the core committee of the BJP. I had no intention to blame any individual,” Patil clarified. Patil in his earlier statement said that while allotting the ticket, the senior mass leaders were also ignored in BJP.
“It sent the wrong message. The incoming of outside leaders damaged the original fabric of BJP. The hardcore workers distanced themselves during the elections. Otherwise, the BJP would have easily won the as many as seats in Maharashtra,” Patil added.
Eknath Khadse, senior BJP leader said the statement of Chandrakant Patil is 100 per cent correct.
“I as Opposition leader criticised and exposed many Congress and the NCP leader corruption cases. But our BJP invited these corrupt leaders and even gave them tickets as well. That changed the perception that the BJP is not the party with a difference. But it is like other political parties only. Therefore, people rejected BJP,” Khadse said. Ram Shinde, former BJP minister who lost blamed Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and Madhukar Pichad for his defeat.