NEWSLINKS US EDITION COLUMNISTS DIARY SPECIALS INTERVIEWS CAPITAL BUZZ REDIFF POLL THE STATES ELECTIONS ARCHIVES SEARCH REDIFF
Sheela Bhatt in New Delhi
If the accounts of what transpired at the national executive meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party in New Delhi on Saturday are anything to go by, there is very little sympathy left within the party for its former president Bangaru Laxman.
"There were no takers for Bangaru Laxman. Though, only two members spoke harshly against him, it was very clear that there is very little sympathy for him in the party," said a senior Bharatiya Janata Party.
Laxman resigned from the top party post in the aftermath of the tehelka.com expose on corruption in defence deals. Tehelka reporters, posing as representatives of a defence equipment manufacturer, had caught Laxman on camera accepting a bribe of Rs 200,000.
The Tehelka tapes also showed Laxman talking freely about fixing defence deals and the PMO's involvement in such transactions.
At the party's national executive on Saturday the party's political resolution was a source of much speculation, what with Tehelka dominating the discussions through the day. The resolution stressed on four points:
1) Independent inquiry into the defence expose. 2) Law must take its own course in matters related to Tehelka. 3) Strict accountability and introspection needed within party. 4) Party funding must be streamlined.
A large majority of leaders from the states attending the meet were of the opinion that the party should consider the Tehelka controversy as a learning experience.
"We should be careful in matters related to party funds," said a leader from Delhi.
Senior leader and Union home minister L K Advani was aggressive in his speech. In his address he said: "We have built the party brick by brick. Today there is an assault on it. We must retain our confidence and fight back."
The Complete Coverage | Defence sites
Back to top
Tell us what you think of this report
