BJP ponders over Uttarakhand loss

Bhartiya Janata Party chief Rajnath Singh has deputed senior leader from Maharashtra, Gopinath Munde and Thawar Chand Gehlot from Dehrudun to take stock of the political developments in Uttrakhand after the party's crushing defeat in the Lok Sabha polls.

The Congress won all the five seats including Tehri from where the party had fielded Rajnath Singh's son-in-law Jaspal Rana. Even Satpal Maharaj who seemed to be fighting a losing battle turned the table against his opponents and won comfortably in Garhwal.

Former chief minister Bhagat Singh Koshiari and his supporters lost no time in asking for the resignation of Major General Bhuvan Chand Khanduri, chief minister of Uttrakhand. Khanduri realizing the sensitivity of the situation promptly sent his resignation to the party chief with a copy addressed to L K Advani, who is still struggling to find out where he went wrong.

"We lost because we were fielding sons and daughter of those who are already in politics. Ask the Congress party and Rahul Gandhi in particular whether they have brought even one single farmer to contest the elections and ensure his victory. On the contrary we have Sachin Pilot, son of Rama and Rajesh Pilot, Jyotiraditya Scindia, son of Madhavrao Scindia, Milind Deora, son of Murli Deora, closer to Delhi, Bansi Lal's grand daughter contested and won the elections," said a senior leader of BJP in a conversation with rediff.com. But Advani's name still spells terror and leaders are scared to talk about anything to do with the party. 

The swords are out and efforts being made by the senior leaders to ensure that this does not have an adverse impact on the prospects of the party in the coming Assembly polls in Haryana, Jharkhand and Maharashtra.