NOMINATION OF Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s successor on the post of State BJP president has been deferred till month end. Earlier, Chief Minister Chouhan was expected to be relieved of his duel responsibility following his return from New Delhi where he had gone to attend the BJP’s national council meet.
State BJP organising general secretary Kaptan Singh Solanki, who also attended the national council meet along with other leaders, told Hindustan Times that new State BJP president would be nominated by month end. He refused to comment whether the issue was discussed with party’s top leadership in Delhi.
However, BJP sources admitted though leaders did discuss this issue in Delhi, owing to party president Rajnath Singh’s preoccupation with other important issues no decision could be taken. Moreover, RSS leader Suresh Soni would also have his say on nomination.
The sources said none in the trio- Kailash Joshi, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Kaptan Singh Solanki – is in favour of former Union Minister Sumitra Mahajan for nomination on State BJP president post.
Their contention is that since party is still recovering from the jolts in the wake of the rebellion of party MLAs and ministers led by Uma Bharti, it needs a state president who could get along well with the chief minister. They disclosed that some senior party leaders including LK Advani are in favour of Sumitra Mahajan but even they cannot afford to overlook opinion of the state leaders in the changed circumstances.
{{/usCountry}}Their contention is that since party is still recovering from the jolts in the wake of the rebellion of party MLAs and ministers led by Uma Bharti, it needs a state president who could get along well with the chief minister. They disclosed that some senior party leaders including LK Advani are in favour of Sumitra Mahajan but even they cannot afford to overlook opinion of the state leaders in the changed circumstances.
{{/usCountry}}They said if Satyanarayan Jatia, Krishnamurari Moghe and Thavarchand Gehlot are also not considered for the post, some dark horse might emerge.
Speculations are also rife for some time that one of the State’s ministers might be chosen to head the organisation in MP.
Names of Jayant Mallayya and Narendra Singh Tomar are still not out of the reckoning. But final picture would emerge only when the top leaders sit together to discuss the issue.