Narendra Modi aides get into the heart of party matters nationally

If the recent appointments at key positions in the national Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are clear reflections of chief minister Narendra Modi’s increasing grip in the Saffron party, it also sends out another message that the CM, who is nursing national ambitions, has the reins of 2014 parliamentary polls in his hand.

With Amit Shah as the in-charge of Uttar Pradesh, the heartland of national politics, political pundits strongly believe that Modi has scripted the new role for his most trusted aide, Shah, to do a Gujarat at the national arena. With Shah, who was the architect in Modi’s hat-trick in the state, CM can hope for a direct command over UP’s 80 parliamentary seats, the highest in the country.

The strategic appointment has once again fueled speculations that Modi may contest in the coming Lok Sabha elections from Lucknow seat, which was in the past represented by former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the tallest leader of the party.

Looking at the Indian political history, the highway to power passes through UP and the CM’s master strategist has been entrusted with the big job of bringing maximum seats in the UP by drubbing its two regional parties — the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Samajwadi Party (SP). With Shah’s help, Modi could successfully oust Congress’s stronghold in Gujarat’s dairy, co-operative banks and cricket sectors.

Now, it only remains to be seen whether the same magic applies to the national scene as well.

However, sources said that Shah’s elevation has ruffled a few old feathers within the party in that state, like veteran leaders Murli Manohar Joshi, Lalji Tondon and Kalraj Mishra, who have been sidelined. Another Modi kitchen cabinet member Parshottam Rupala has been placed as the in-charge of the decisive Kissan Cell of the national BJP. After the national and organizational reshuffling, all the hushed talks that the veteran Modi loyalist is being marginalized, has been put to rest with the new responsibility entrusted on him.

Another startling appointment was Varun Gandhi in West Bengal (WB). Like in UP, the BJP also suffers a very insignificant presence on Bengal’s powerlist which is swayed by Left, Congress and TMC. Now, going by the buzz in political corridors, Modi and other top leaders have reportedly given Varun Gandhi a chance to clean his anti-secular image which he brought upon himself after the alleged provocative anti-Muslim speech at Pilbhit.

The Gandhi scion is believed to be a fan of Modi.
Former Gujarat BJP in-charge and Rajasthan BJP strongman Om Mathur has come back to the state by replacing Balbir Punj this term. Though, he was not in-charge of Gujarat, Mathur was very active in the state’s politics and is one among the listed Modi loyalists.
It is to be noted that Mathur was seen in Gandhingar earlier this year when he remained present at the newly-elected BJP legislators’ first meeting. Incidentally, though Mathur’s name figures in Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case too, the CBI hasn’t touched him as yet.

Another young leader, Smriti Irani, who worked hard during the Gujarat assembly polls by camping in the state during the entire poll period, has earned her reward by being entrusted the responsibility of Goa. Irani was elected Rajya Sabha MP of Gujarat with Modi’s consent.

Vijay Jolly, a strong leader from New Delhi, and a close Modi aide, has retained his post as the in-charge of Overseas Friends of BJP (OFB). He had played a crucial role when British MPs visited Gujarat. Amit Thaker, who had feel out of Modi’s good books, worked hard in Banaskantha and Bhavnagar district during the recent polls, to earn his trust and be retained in the OFB.

And last but not the least, No 2 in Modi cabinet, minister Nitin Patel has been placed as the co-convener of good governance cell, while former Rajya Sabha MP, Jayanti Barot gets the responsibility of the senior citizens cell.