Will BJP ignore state?

NEW DELHI: There seems to be far too many last minute glitches before the announcement of BJP president Rajnath Singh’s team of central office bearers. The pulls and pressures, both for and against leaders from Maharashtra, have become a hot issue.

Ironically, it affects the two most powerful saffron leaders from the state — Sanjay Joshi and Gopinath Munde. There is a strong buzz in the power corridors of the BJP that Joshi might have to relinquish the influential post of General Secretary (Organisation), which he currently holds. Joshi has technically been on a ‘loan’ from the RSS to the BJP and it is thus the RSS which has to take the final call.

Joshi had to resign from the post in the midst of party's Mumbai conclave in December 2005 following allegations of his involvement in a sleazy sex CD scandal. But Joshi was given a clean chit by the BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh government and was reinstated with fanfare in the party. The issue has resurfaced again. An anonymous leaflet has reached senior BJP and RSS leaders' mailboxes.

The leaflet gives some “juicy” information on the subject and there is also a hush-hush talk about the “original CD” to be released on right time. But no one in the party is willing to discuss the subject in the open. The other rumour is that one of the latest entrants from the RSS to the BJP as “moral authority over the sundry party politicians”, Ramlal Aggarwal, is senior to Sanjay Joshi in terms of “Sangh Aayu” (batch seniority) and thus cannot function under Joshi.

Munde was being taken as a sure replacement to the late Pramod Mahajan for the post of general secretary. An OBC leader from Maharasthra, Munde has been a strong contender for the post since death of Mahajan in April last year. But his proposed shift to national politics has come under some opposition from the RSS.

BJP president Rajnath Singh was expected to announce his new team of central office bearers around the auspicious day of Basant Panchmi i.e. January 23. While a major overhaul in the existing set up is unlikely, the RSS is likely to strengthen its hold over the party. The party's constitution was amended at the recently-held National Council meeting to accommodate more ‘Pracharaks’ (RSS whole timers) at influential positions and also give them the desired “stability” irrespective of any change even at the top in the organisational structure.

Another Mumbai leader Kirit Somaya could be given greater responsibility than the small investors' cell, which he is presently handling. Party spokesman Prakash Javdekar is lobbying for his inclusion in the list of central office bearers.

The announcement of the new team has already been delayed, mostly for astrological reasons. The new deadline for announcement of the list is January 30.