Patience has paid today, says Vinod Tawde; becomes BJP’s general secretary

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former state minister Vinod Tawde has been elevated to the post of national general secretary, by party’s national president JP Nadda, on Sunday

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former state minister Vinod Tawde has been elevated to the post of national general secretary, by party’s national president JP Nadda, on Sunday. This move is being viewed as a strong message to former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, as the elevation is believably done against his wishes.

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former state minister Vinod Tawde has been elevated to the post of national general secretary, by party’s national president JP Nadda, on Sunday. (HT File)

Tawde said, “I have been given many responsibilities by the party in the past. I was general secretary at the state level, youngest chief of the Mumbai unit of the party, leader of Opposition in the legislative council, minister with eight departments, among other responsibilities in my political career. When I was denied a ticket in the 2019-Assembly polls, I had said that I am a party worker who believes in patience and there was no question of quitting the party for just one denial. The patience has paid today.”

Talking about Tawde’s failure to get a ticket in the 2019 Assembly elections, a senior party leader under the conditions of anonymity said, “Tawde, Eknath Khadse, Chandrashekhar Bawankule are heavyweights who were not nominated. This sent out the wrong message that loyalists were ill-treated, while outsiders were given the upper hand. Similar treatment was meted out to Pankaja Munde, who had to face defeat in the polls because of ‘anti-party activities’ in her constituency during the election.”

He further added that Tawde was removed from the post of the medical education department within one and a half years after the Fadnavis government was formed. “He was also kept away from making decisions on key issues, including Maratha reservation, during the stint. Tawde’s appointment has come just a day after Bawankule was featured in the list of candidates announced for the legislative council elections to be held on December 10. This is a clear message to the Fadnavis camp,” he stated.

Tawde, who had been elected from the Borivali constituency in 2014, is a key Konkani leader. His elevation is also seen as an attempt to woo the Konkani voters living in Mumbai ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections.

BJP leader Ashish Shelar said that it is a happy moment for the Maharashtra unit of the party. “He has been a prominent leader from the state. As a secretary and in charge of Haryana, he has done an impressive job. His elevation is a delight for all of us,” he said.