Ripples in state BJP
Folder without Vajpayee's picture
SP Sharma/Tribune News Service
An invitation folder of the BJP without a picture of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. A Tribune photograph
Bathinda, March 13
Absence of the picture of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on the invitation folder released by the Punjab BJP for the March 20 rally at Madhopur near Pathankot on the occasion of unveiling of the statue of Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, who gave his life while struggling for the complete integration of J&K with the India, has created ripples in the party.
This has annoyed several senior leaders of the BJP who have not relished the state party leadership ignoring Vajpayee on the folder that carries pictures of BJP chief Nitin Gadkari, LK Advani, CM Parkash Singh Badal, BJP leaders Balbir Punj, Manoranjan Kalia, Kiran Ghai and Ashwani Sharma (state party chief).
A senior BJP leader, who did not want to be identified, remarked there was no reason to forget Vajpayee as besides being the topmost surviving leader of the party, he had remained close to Mukherjee and had seen him off at Madhopur on May 11, 1953, when Mukherjee was arrested for entering there without a permit. He never returned as he died in Srinagar jail on June 23, 1953. It is learnt that a large number of party activists have pointed out the error to various leaders in Punjab. However, the invitation in the shape of a folder continued to be distributed by the district units of the BJP. Veteran BJP leader Balramji Dass Tandon said the matter had come to his notice and fresh invitation folders with Vajpayee's picture would be printed.
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