Concerned over the sagging image of the party due to recent happenings, the Bharatiya Janata Party will do some 'soul searching' at its three-day national executive commencing in Chennai on Friday and try to shift the focus from its internal bickerings to the differences in the United Progressive Alliance government.
The party's image took a beating after a controversy erupted among the Sangh Parivar outfits following party president Lal Kishenchand Advani's remarks praising Pakistan's founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah during his visit to that country.
Just as the controversy appeared to be simmering down, another one appeared, with the demand for change in the leadership in Gujarat, with former chief minister Keshubai Patel, rebelling against Narendra Modi.
The party's legislators in Jharkhand also protested against the style of functioning of Chief Minister Arjun Munda.
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In almost all BJP-ruled states, barring Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, dissension against the present incumbents reared its head.
The party's image was further dented following the recent controversy over the expulsion of Madan Lal Khurana, party's strong man in Delhi, in which the two top leaders of the party, Advani and A B Vajpayee took diametrically opposite stands.
However, the revocation of Khurana's expulsion after he expressed 'regret' for his outburst against the party leadership proved to be face saving for the saffron party.
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Admitting that the recent happenings in the party had made a "dent" in the party's image, BJP Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu said the executive would make attempts to 'refurbish' its image among the public.
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