With the three-year tenure of Chandigarh BJP president Arun Sood set to end on January 17, the party will get a new city chief soon.
In view of the Lok Sabha elections scheduled for 2024, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has already hinted at changing state presidents in several parts of the country.
Former Chandigarh BJP president Sanjay Tandon said a two-day executive committee meeting will take place in New Delhi on January 16 and 17 to decide on the tenure extension of the party’s national president JP Nadda, following which a call on the new city chief will be taken.
Former Member of Parliament (MP) Satya Pal Jain said it is upon the party’s high command to decide. On being asked about the working of Arun Sood in the past three years, he said, “I will not say it publically but will convey it to the party high command directly.”
As per sources, frontrunners for the post include former mayors Davesh Moudgil, Ravi Kant Sharma, senior BJP leaders Ramveer Bhatti, Chander Shekhar, Dharinder Tayal, Shakti Devshali, and Satinder Singh.
Satinder Singh, a contender who is backed by the RSS, said Sood failed to get the senior leadership on the same platform. “Even during municipal corporation (MC) elections held in December 2021, the BJP won 12 out of 35 seats due to the wrong selection of candidates,” said Satinder.
{{/usCountry}}Satinder Singh, a contender who is backed by the RSS, said Sood failed to get the senior leadership on the same platform. “Even during municipal corporation (MC) elections held in December 2021, the BJP won 12 out of 35 seats due to the wrong selection of candidates,” said Satinder.
{{/usCountry}}MP Kirron Kher and Satya Pal Jain, who are in the same camp, are hoping to put up their own candidate on the post while the Sanjay Tandon camp is pushing for its candidate. The current chief Sood owes allegiance to the Tandon camp.
Davesh Moudgil is from Jain-Kher camp, while Ravi Kant Sharma, Shakti Devshali, and Ramveer Bhatti are from the Tandon camp. Chander Shekhar and Satinder Singh are backed by the RSS.
A senior BJP leader, on the condition of anonymity, said, “Chances of Sood getting an extension are very little as the party is looking to change the president in view of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.”
Tandon has had the longest tenure as the city BJP chief, serving on the post from January 18, 2010 to January 17, 2020.