According to an insider, the rally instead of strengthening the party has intensified groupism in the city unit. He claimed that the state leadership has taken note of infighting in the Surat unit and ``might change some party office-bearers.''

Pointing out the Hajuria-Khajuria divide in the local unit, he said it has taken its toll on representation of local party workers in the rally at Ahmedabad. Claiming that the unit could not mobilise enough workers because it sidelined the Khajurias, a Khajuria leader claimed that the mismanagement was so glaring that the buses, particularly from Varachha, were virtually empty.

He claimed the group was completely sidelined and even the four MLAs who represent the city were not involved in organising the rally.

When contacted, BJP city president Pravin Naik said the Khajurias were ``spreading canard''. ``There is no truth in what they are claiming and the two MLAs were actively involved in mobilising support for the rally. In fact, one of the MLAs even extended financial assistance,'' he said.

Naik said more than 8000 people from the city had taken part in the rally. Stating that the state leadership had asked to mobilised 200 people from each municipal ward, he said there was no move to replace office-bearers. However, according to an insider, the party might change some office-bearers, because the state leadership had been given the impression that with the current staff, the party's win in the civic elections scheduled for April 2000 was difficult.

The insider also claimed that the party was apprehensive of its win in the civic by-election for Rander (Ward No 31). Even though the BJP has set up four elections offices as against the Congress' one office, ``the party is not getting response from the people. The people seems to have made up their made.''

It will be a keenly contested by-election, the insider said, adding, it will be a referendum on the ruling BJP's performance. ``It may be a beginning of the end of BJP era and the Congress might stage a comeback,'' he claimed.