Even as the State leadership of the BJP is strongly batting for party general secretary Nayan Mohanty for the post of president, the central BJP has apparently decided in favour of vice-president Basanta Panda.
Panda’s sudden resignation as the State returning officer (for organisational polls) and the shifting of general secretary (organisation) Panchanan Rout to Delhi are pointers to the fact that the central leadership has decided to anoint Panda, sources in the party said. Incidentally, Panda resigned the same day when Rout was given new assignment in the BJP training cell in Delhi and senior RSS leader Prasanna Mishra was brought back from Jharkhand to replace Rout.
Sources told this paper that the possibility of a contest may not be ruled out if the candidature of Panda will be imposed on the party.
A group comprising district returning officers visited Delhi last week and met national BJP president Nitin Gadkari and national organising secretary Ram Lal. While seeking permission of Gadkari to hold election to the 10 districts where organisational poll has been suspended following allegation of irregularities in membership drive, the group opposed the candidature of Panda for the party president.
Since Panda was the returning officer for the organisation poll, a fair election would not be possible if he will be allowed to contest, they reportedly told the central leaders.
Ironically, Panda’s was one of the three names recommended for the post of president by the party’s State unit. While Nayan was the first preference, general secretary Murali Sharma was the second choice of the party.