RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, Aug.18: Amid voice of discontent among old BJP workers waiting for their elevation in the party position, newly inducted Union minister Annapurna Devi today counted achievements of the Modi government.
Annapurna, at a press conference at the party state headquarters on the third day of her Jan Ashirva Yatra, praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying the national leader is following his slogal “Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas and Sabka Viswas” in letter and spirit and this reflects in the cabinet, party organization, and government schemes.
“Entire country has got representation in the cabinet. People of each group, society, community and region are in the cabinet. All are committed to make a strong and self-dependent India. In the cabinet there are 27 members from OBC, 8 are from ST, 12 are from SC, and 11 are from the women group. This is for the first time that a daughter of Jharkhand is in the union cabinet,” Annapurna, who joined the BJP snapping her old relationship with the RJD in March 2019 and became minister of state for education in the Modi cabinet.
Earlier, she praised the party for making her Yatra, which will cover 428km passing through 9 districts and 5 parliamentary constituencies, successful.
State BJP president and Rajya Sabha member Deepak Prakash was present on the occasion. He echoed Annapurna saying it was for the first time that there are eight members from the tribal community in the union cabinet. He said the party is committed to the development of the tribal and this is the reason tribal affairs ministry was established in the country for the first time in the country when Atal Bihari Vajpayee became prime minister.
Meanwhile, the discontent of BJP workers also experienced taking this Yatra.
“The way newly inducted party member and newly inducted cabinet member Annapurna Devi is being promoted in the state it appears that she is being projected for the post of the chief minister,” a BJP worker Amritesh Singh Chouhan posted on his FaceBooK page.
On this post, several comments came reflecting the discontent among party workers.
Some of the comments included “Atal Wali Bhajpa Ab Nahi Rahi”, “Bhajpa Hai Bhai. Sudesh, Bandhu, Hemant Ko Bhi Mukhyamantri Bana Sakti Hai”, “Atal Ji Ke Samay Ka Bhajpa aur aaj ke Samay Ki BJP mein Jamin Asmaan Ka Antar Hai”.
Some of the other comments on the post included “Samjho BJP Ka Jharkhand Se Supra Saaf” and “BJP Ek Samudra Hai, Kitne Aaye Aur Gaye” besides others.
A senior BJP leader, who did not want to be quoted, admitted the situation saying a section of party workers, who are in the party for a long time and had heard Annapurna Devi attacking BJP on several occasions in the capacity of RJD state president are unhappy.
Another leader said: “Party workers are being misused to welcome those who always attacked them. The party’s effort to promote old workers remained perfunctory at best as no effort has been made to make any old woman BJP leader from Jharkhand national figure.”