BHOPAL: Process to bring the second-rung leaders of the BJP to mainstream has begun after a major change in the state party leadership on Saturday.
By appointing 49-year-old VD Sharma, the RSS has made it clear that it wants to promote the second-rung leaders sidelining the senior ones.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Kailash Vijayvargiya, Narottam Mishra, Narendra Singh Tomar, Gopal Bhargava, Bhupendra Singh, Thawarchand Gehlot, Prahlad Patel and Faggan Singh Kulaste are senior leaders of the party in the state.
Sharma’s appointment indicates that Chouhan still holds sway over the party. In fact, Chouhan advocated for and succeeded in Rakesh Singh’s removal.
After the assembly elections, some of the leaders in the party felt that Chouhan was sidelined, but their false impression did not last long.
Singh’s removal clearly indicated that decisions related to the state BJP would be taken with Chouhan’s consent.
It was known 10 days ago: Rakesh Singh
Ex-president of state BJP, Rakesh Singh, said that he was aware of party leadership’s decision ten days ago. He was told that he would not head the state party any more, Singh said. There was nothing new about Sharma’s appointment as state party president, Singh said.
He said that Sharma would infuse more energy into the party, and that during his nearly two years’ tenure as state president, he received cooperation from all party leaders and workers. In last one year, 18 agitations were successfully organised against the state government with the help of party leaders and workers.
Brahmins hold top three posts
With the appointment of VD Sharma, all the top three posts in the state BJP have gone to Brahmins. Besides Sharma, organisational general secretary Suhas Bhagat and leader of opposition Gopal Bhargava are Brahmins.
Chief whip of the party in the assembly is Narottam Mishra, another Brahmin leader. From Sharma’s appointment, it is clear that the party will make some changes: the party plans to appoint new leaders by removing the old ones.
Luck favours Sharma after marriage
Lady luck has begun to favour VD Sharma, an RSS Pracharak, after his wedding. Being a Sangh Pracharak, Sharma did not marry. On February 19 last year, he married Stuti from Jabalpur. Immediately after wedding, he won parliamentary elections from Khajuraho. Within one year of his wedding, he has been appointed state party president. He, however, could not get party ticket for Vidhan Sabha elections in 2018, despite his best efforts.
