Amit Shah asks party MPs to refrain from poster war over CM projection

By Brajendra Nath Singh

New Delhi, June 14 (IANS) Unhappy over some BJP MPs' attempts, during the National Executive meet, at self-projection as probable chief ministerial candidates in Uttar Pradesh, party president Amit Shah has directed them to refrain from such politics and instead focus on their constituencies till the assembly polls.

The direction from Shah came at a meeting of party MPs from Uttar Pradesh at Allahabad after the National Executive meeting concluded there on Monday.

However, BJP MP from Sultanpur, Varun Gandhi, hundreds of whose posters were put up around in the city - a move that did not go down well with the party's central leadership, skipped the meeting.

However, one of his aids told IANS that there was no such meeting but a get together of party MPs from state with the party president.

Other than Varun Gandhi, around half a dozen MPs skipped the meeting including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, and Hema Malini.

"They had sought permission to stay away," said a BJP leader.

The development came at time when disgruntled party MP Shatrughan Sinha backed Gandhi’s candidature, saying that "he should be given opportunity and his name should be announced as party’s chief ministerial candidate at the earliest".

He also added that Gandhi could be the best choice for the post.

Meanwhile, Shah, during Monday’s meeting asked party MPs to refrain from poster war and giving media bytes over the chief ministerial issue, sources said.

According to sources, he asked party MPs to remain in the parliamentary constituencies till the assembly elections and confine themselves on development works of the area.

Shah also said that MPs will be held responsible if party does not perform well in the assembly seats which comes under their parliamentary constituencies, sources said.

During the meeting, Shah also inquired about whether they held Vikas Parv and other celebrations in their constituencies or not.

The party had asked its MPs and leaders to hold Vikas Parv and other programmes to celebrate two successful years of Modi government.

The party leaders had gathered in Allahabad to brainstorm the strategy for the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, which are due next year. The National Executive meet was attended by Prime Minister Modi, Shah and other senior leaders of the party.