PATNA/RANCHI: With the BJP’s humiliating defeat in Bihar assembly polls, deep discontent is simmering among a number of senior party leaders in Bihar and Jharkhand.

After a strong “NaMo wave” helped the saffron party get a brute majority in Lok Sabha election last year, BJP’s central leadership had put a target of 185+ for the party-led NDA in Bihar, but the BJP could win only 53 of the 243 assembly seats.

The wound of defeat is deep enough for the party leaders to publicly put the blame for the Bihar debacle at the doors of the PM, party chief Amit Shah and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. The Bihar and Jharkhand leaders have even said the way the party’s central brass treated Bihar’s party workers indicated a master-servant relationship.

“Bhajapa ne Bihar mein atmahatya kar liya (The BJP has committed suicide in Bihar),” said the party’s MP from Begusarai Bhola Singh on Tuesday, adding: “All the BJP leaders, including the PM, violated political dignity during their poll campaign. The PM should not have commented on son/daughter of anyone.” Singh added RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s statement on the quota issue “impacted negatively on the polls.”

Rajya Sabha member and former state party chief Dr C P Thakur also said the party had to “pay the price” for Bhagwat’s statement on the quota issue. “After serving the party for long, I am saddened to see that the relation of the party’s central leadership and the grassroots workers has become that of ‘malik (master)’ and ‘naukar (servant),’” he added.

Still others like cine star and Patna Saheb MP Shatrughan Sinha and Karia Munda, BJP MP from Khunti in Jharkhand, called for “introspection.”

In a series of tweets on Wednesday, Sinha said, “Now that the verdict is out and we're saddened by this humiliating defeat, we should not run away from fixing responsibility. A more enthusiastic participation of my friends, fans, voters and supporters would've certainly helped to make a difference in a few seats.”

In a jibe aimed at Union finance minister Arun Jaitley, Sinha said, “I am not a Rajya Sabha MP. I've come through the support of masses and won two Lok Sabha elections with record margin. I have a support base!” He, however, denied having any expectation of being made CM candidate. “Have only said — if I was called for campaigning, things could have been better. Media tried to create an impression that I had suggested that results cud've been different IF I WAS CM CANDIDATE. I have never said this,” he said in a tweet.

Former Lok Sabha deputy speaker and eight-time MP from Jharkhand, Karia Munda felt rejecting old-timers and party workers during election was one of the gravest mistakes, which led to its miserable performance in Bihar.

“In Bihar, top party leaders completely ignored workers involved in mobilizing voters in favour of the party and there was no coordination between the two. If this was one reason, the other was that the strategists did not deem it fit to hold consultations with the core group which also includes senior leaders.

“I have myself tried to get an appointment with party president Amit Shah a number of times, but have not met with success so far,” said Munda from his Khunti residence on phone. He also sounded a tad hurt that he was not asked to campaign in the neighbouring state even though Jharkhand CM Raghubar Das and former CM Arjun Munda toured various constituencies of Bihar.

The BJP’s tallest tribal leader said with election round the corner in West Bengal and UP, the party should rethink its strategy. Karia, an old RSS man himself, felt during election comments of any leader should be guarded and timed carefully. He was indirectly referring to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s suggestion, in the midst of Bihar election , to revisit the reservation policy.