JAIPUR, June 15: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president LK Advani's Swarna Jayanti Rath Yatra suffered a bad patch in Rajasthan. Instead of motivating party workers, Advani's presence only reactivated infighting among them. Many BJP leaders seized upon the party chief's presence as the ideal opportunity to settle scores. The most glaring was the episode in Chittor, the constituency of Chief Minister Bhairon Singh Shekhawat's son-in-law, Narpat Singh Rajvi.

Deprived of an opportunity to handle the programmes related to the rath yatra, the MLA and party state general secretary allegedly retaliated by interfering with the arrangements made by his party colleagues. His men reportedly even tore up the posters and banners put up for Advani's welcome.

In turn, the leaders alienated from Rajvi met Advani to air their grievances. Though they did not divulge what the party chief said, they were hopeful of some action on the matter.

Among those who chose to act around this time was Irrigation Minister Devi Singh Bhati. He has been involved in a dispute with Rajvi and State Chief Secretary ML Mehta, and he seemed to have picked Advani's yatra to take up the extension given to the official.

Citing the BJP manifesto, Bhati said the party was against extensions to bureaucrats. So far, he has been unsuccessfully demanding Mehta's removal for ``exceeding his brief'' in ordering an inquiry against him.

Soon after, Bhati and BJP state president Ramdas Agarwal came under attack in the Irrigation Minister's home district, Bikaner. On June 10, a large number of BJP district functionaries -- led by the party's former Bikaner (rural) district president, Ramsingh Roda -- resigned, alleging neglect of committed workers and encouragement to the corrupt.

Roda charged that Bhati and Agarwal were trying to weaken the BJP, and that personal loyalty rather than party loyalty was being given priority. Those who had not contributed in any way to the party were being given posts, he accused, adding that he was sending a letter directly to Advani in this regard.

However, speaking to the press last Friday, Agarwal evaded queries about resentment brewing in the State BJP.

Agarwal also denied having made a statement stressing the need to put a stop to writing of letters against party functionaries by workers. However, he expressed disapproval of the tendency.

Only a few days earlier, Dudu MLA Babulal Bachher had written to Shekhawat demanding removal of Nathu Singh Gujar for discriminating against SC MLAs, creating rifts between party workers and lobbying for officers. He also alleged large-scale bungling in panchayat samiti funds.

Earlier too, complaints have been lodged by BJP workers on various issues. Rajya Sabha MP Satish Aggarwal had written to the Chief Minister asking him to reconstitute the Housing Board, whose term expired on April 25. He had also suggested names of five ``dedicated BJP workers'' -- one of them his election in-charge for seven polls -- who could be named to the board.

Last week, BJP Jaipur city president Mohan Das Agarwal -- the brother of Ramdas Agarwal -- resigned protesting against appointments of ``non-official'' members to the Rajasthan Finance Corporation and Rajasthan Industrial Development and Investment Corporation. He alleged that old-time, active BJP workers had been left out in nominating members to these bodies.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.