IANS

New Delhi, Jun 20: Another Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader joined the growing list of those voicing discontent with the party's functioning. Arun Shourie has reportedly written to party president Rajnath Singh demanding a debate on the poor election results and the way the party is being run.

"He has demanded a transparent and serious discussion on the election debacle, and has asked why such a discussion is not taking place. He has also said that the BJP is in the hands of conspirators who are destroying the party," a BJP source said.

A meeting of the BJP office bearers was held Friday evening here. Shourie's letter comes a day ahead of the party's national executive meeting Saturday.

"Shourie has also raised questions about Arun Jaitley who will be absent during the national executive meeting. Jaitley is going for a holiday with his family," the source added. Jaitley was the party's chief strategist during the elections. He resigned as party general secretary after being named Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha.

The BJP, the second largest party in the Lok Sabha, has been gripped with internal strife since the election results. Party senior Yashwant Sinha resigned from all posts, including national vice president, demanding reconstitution of the party in the wake of the poll debacle. Jaswant Singh has already spoken of the need to fix blame for the election results.

"He (Shourie) has demanded that real issues - which are creating difficulties for the party - need to be discussed rather than routine matters. He has alleged in his letter that party decisions are not being taken democratically," the source said.