Surajkund, Haryana: At a meeting of 300 top BJP leaders, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi intervened in a debate on foreign direct investment in retail today to suggest that the party take the issue to the village level and offered a systematic plan to negate the Congress' "reforms are back" campaign. He suggested that the party hold more than 5000 public meetings across the country to highlight the BJP's objections, 10 in each Lok Sabha constituency. The Gujarat CM also suggested the BJP emphasise to traders and farmers that the Centre's decision to allow big foreign chains like Walmart to set up shop would affect them adversely.
Party spokesman Prakash Javadekar later said the BJP will counter the government's decision to allow 51 percent foreign equity in multi-brand retail by pointing out that 100 percent FDI in back-end operations in the food processing industries has been allowed for a decade, but has yielded very low investment.
The argument will be part of an economic resolution that the BJP's national executive, the party's decision-making body, will finalise and pass. The BJP leaders are meeting over three days in the picnic town of Surajkund near Delhi to give shape to the party's strategy ahead of elections in states like Karnataka, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, where it is in power.
The first brainstorming session today has also thrown up a plan for 100 rallies across the country to bring back the focus of people to corruption to maximise the BJP's campaign against the Congress-led UPA government, framed in recent months by a series of corruption scandals, and newly fragile after its biggest ally, Mamata Banerjee, quit the coalition over new economic reforms.
Party spokesman Prakash Javadekar later said the BJP will counter the government's decision to allow 51 percent foreign equity in multi-brand retail by pointing out that 100 percent FDI in back-end operations in the food processing industries has been allowed for a decade, but has yielded very low investment.
The argument will be part of an economic resolution that the BJP's national executive, the party's decision-making body, will finalise and pass. The BJP leaders are meeting over three days in the picnic town of Surajkund near Delhi to give shape to the party's strategy ahead of elections in states like Karnataka, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, where it is in power.
The first brainstorming session today has also thrown up a plan for 100 rallies across the country to bring back the focus of people to corruption to maximise the BJP's campaign against the Congress-led UPA government, framed in recent months by a series of corruption scandals, and newly fragile after its biggest ally, Mamata Banerjee, quit the coalition over new economic reforms.
BJP president Nitin Gadkari was of the view that the BJP should keep up its pointed attack on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Mr Javadekar said Dr Singh's recent address to the nation justifying the economic reforms was disappointing for the people, who were expecting some relief from harsh measures his government had announced. "The prime minister keeps referring to the economic reforms started by him in 1991 but the Congress and its policies have been responsible for the economic mess the country is in today," the BJP spokesman said.
In the morning, the BJP's general secretary Ravi Shankar Prasad said, "The government isn't working; it is unable to manage allies and blames the Opposition for all that is wrong." He also said that instead of tackling the corruption within, the government uses the CBI to target political opponents. "An extension counter of the CBI should open at the Congress office," he said.
The three-day meeting of the BJP's national executive will be followed by a gathering of the BJP National Council, which has 1,200 members, and will formally adopt a resolution to pave the way for a second consecutive term as party president for Nitin Gadkari.
In the morning, the BJP's general secretary Ravi Shankar Prasad said, "The government isn't working; it is unable to manage allies and blames the Opposition for all that is wrong." He also said that instead of tackling the corruption within, the government uses the CBI to target political opponents. "An extension counter of the CBI should open at the Congress office," he said.
The three-day meeting of the BJP's national executive will be followed by a gathering of the BJP National Council, which has 1,200 members, and will formally adopt a resolution to pave the way for a second consecutive term as party president for Nitin Gadkari.
While Mr Gadkari and other senior leaders like LK Advani are present at the national executive meeting in Surajkund on the outskirts of the capital, Karnataka heavyweight BS Yeddyurappa has skipped the session, opting to enrol for a three-day course with the Art of Living Foundation in Bangalore, headed by spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. His party no doubt wishes fervently that he finds the inner peace that the Foundation promises.
For close to two years now, since he was forced to quit as the Chief Minister of the BJP's only government in the South, Mr Yeddyurappa has been in perma-rebel mode. He threatens repeatedly to split the BJP - a warning that has teeth, given his extensive following among local leaders.In July last year, he chose his successor when corruption charges ousted him from office. A year later, he asked that his replacement be removed, and deftly delivered his new favourite, Jagadish Shettar, to the Chief Minister's office.
For close to two years now, since he was forced to quit as the Chief Minister of the BJP's only government in the South, Mr Yeddyurappa has been in perma-rebel mode. He threatens repeatedly to split the BJP - a warning that has teeth, given his extensive following among local leaders.In July last year, he chose his successor when corruption charges ousted him from office. A year later, he asked that his replacement be removed, and deftly delivered his new favourite, Jagadish Shettar, to the Chief Minister's office.
With elections in Karnataka just months away, Mr Yeddyurappa's absence from this week's three-day brainstorming session does not bode well for the BJP.
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