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BJP places Saini, not Shekhawat in charge of Rajasthan

After 74 days of dilly-dallying, the BJP finally found its choice of state president in Member of Parliament from Rajasthan, Madan Lal Saini. Following his appointment, Saini steps into the shoes of his predecessor Ashok Parnami who vacated the coveted post after the culmination of his tenure in April this year.

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After 74 days of dilly-dallying, the BJP finally found its choice of state president in Member of Parliament from Rajasthan, Madan Lal Saini. Following his appointment, Saini steps into the shoes of his predecessor Ashok Parnami who vacated the coveted post after the culmination of his tenure in April this year.

Speaking to reporters after his appointment, he said, “My primary aim is to get 180 seats for the BJP in upcoming assembly polls.”

 

Saini is the first leader from the Other Backward Community (OBC) in the state’s history to helm the top post in a party that has traditionally favoured a general category candidate. He has his roots in the RSS and rose to become a popular representative of the farmers in BJP having worked with and for them throughout his career. He has served as the general secretary of the national unit of the Bhartiya Kisan Sangh. He was elected legislator from the Gudha constituency, Jhunjhunu, in 1990.    

 

Saini also brings to an end the bitter dispute over the choice of a Rajput as party’s face ahead of the assembly polls this year. The party high command was considering deputing fellow parliamentarian Gajendra Singh Shekhawat as Parnami’s replacement. Chief minister Vasundhara Raje and her allies felt his appointment could upset the BJP applecart in polls and the appointment was kept in abeyance and the search for a fresh name began.

 

Since then, names of BJP MPs Bhupendra Yadav and Arjun Ram Meghwal, and ministers in Raje’s cabinet Srichand Kriplani and Arun Chaturvedi were lobbed at the BJP leadership as worthy replacements. On Friday, however, the national leadership placed its faith in the 75-year-old leader from Sikar. Family members in Sikar and his kin in Jaipur came out on the streets to celebrate his elevation to the top post in the party.

 

Saini , who was in New Delhi, when the appointment was made, reached the Rajasthan House where he was greeted by the party workers and BJP leaders.

No friction between CM and BJP leadership, it’s fiction: Saini

 

Q. What will your priorities as state president?

A. The party has set the target of 180-plus for assembly elections and 25 seats for the Lok Sabha elections. Getting these targets will be my priority. From my booth worker to the workers of the state, we will go for and achieve this target. Under the guidance of the central leaders with the state team, we will surely meet the target.

 

Q.What will be the biggest challenge for you?

A. The election is a challenge for each party. There will always be challenges for us. However, I do not see any major challenge in front of our team and workers. On the strength of party workers’ hard work, we will win the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. This was also the challenge in the last election. We won on the strength of workers.

 

Q. Is distance between CM Vasundhara Raje and the central leadership also a challenge?

A. The chief minister and the central leadership are working together. BJP is not a party of an individual, nor does it cater to any lineage. It is a party of collective leadership. There are no two factions in the party. It is mere fiction and nothing else.

 

Q.Were you sounded off about your elevation as the state president?

A. I am a worker and I work for the organization. Since I joined the party, I am serving as a worker. I do the job the party tells me to do. If the organization has given the work of the state president today, then I will discharge that duty.

 

Q.What is your message to the party workers?

A. This is the party of workers. This party is not a party of caste, region or lineage. This is the only party in which the worker can be given the highest honour.

 

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