The anger of BJP leaders has started coming to the fore after the party’s drubbing in the Jharkhand Assembly elections.

Senior party leader and Ranchi MLA C.P. Singh, who was a minister in the Raghubar Das government, on Friday accepted that the exit of Saryu Roy from the party ahead of the Assembly election hurt the BJP. “The party is at loss even if a worker leaves it. Saryu Roy happens to be a big name and hence I believe that his exit hampered the party,” Singh told The Telegraph on Friday.

He also recalled that his association with Roy dated back to the JP movement days; while Roy was active in Patna, Singh was active in Ranchi.

Saryu Roy UB Photos

Asked why he didn’t raise his voice when Roy was denied the ticket for Jamshedpur West which led to Roy taking on and eventually defeating Rahgubar Das in Jamshedpur East, Singh said: “Such decisions are taken by the central parliamentary board and I don’t happen to be a member of that body. Who could have I told it to? Moreover, I remain within limits and following the orders of the party is my duty.”

Asked whether he would raise this point when the BJP introspects to find reasons for the defeat, Singh said: “If the party asks me, I would put my point across but I won’t not do so if my views are not sought.”

Commenting on Singh’s statement, a senior Jharkhand BJP functionary said: “We are apprehending more such attacks on the state leadership of the party in days to come as the central leadership had given almost a free hand to Raghubar Das during the elections.”

The functionary said there were many state leaders unhappy with Das’s working style, and now they were venting their ire at every opportunity. “Just wait and watch,” he added. “There are many in queue who would raise such points.”