BHOPAL: With the Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls just a few months away, speculations regarding a change in the state BJP leadership are rife in party circles. Several names have been doing rounds as possible replacement of state BJP chief Nandkumar Singh Chouhan.
However, a large section of the party feels the 2013 winning combination of Narendra Singh Tomar as state party chief and CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan may be repeated. Talks about BJP getting a new state chief has gained momentum after the recent visit of Saudan Singh, national joint general secretary (organisation), to Bhopal.
Singh is expected to brief the central leadership about the progress of organisational build-up exercise.
Sources confided to The Sunday Standard that the progress of organisational efforts to bridge the gap between the party’s rank and file and the common worker was not very encouraging. This, and a string of losses in bypolls as well as urban local elections have prompted talks of leadership change.
State parliamentary affairs minister Narottam Mishra, party’s national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, minister Lal Singh Arya and state party general secretary VD Sharma are also said to be in the race.
Though Tomar even denied the possibility of leadership change, party sources claimed he was the best bet to succeed Nandkumar. “There is no debate about organisational changes. The party is run by the worker and the assembly polls will be contested under the leadership of its workers only to emerge triumphant in 2018,” said Tomar.
BJP won the third successive election in December 2013, triumphing on 165 seats, followed by Congress 58 seats and BSP four seats. The party’s 2013 tally was better than 143 seats won in 2008, but eight lesser of the 2003 tally.
The victory in 2013 was credited to efficient poll management done by the team of CM Chouhan, then state BJP chief Tomar and senior leader Anil Madhav Dave. While Dave died last year, party insiders claimed good equations between Tomar and the CM could be the main factor which would make BJP central leadership choose him, if there is a change.
Congress to mobilise lawyers, doctors
The Congress will mobilise professionals, including lawyers, doctors and traders, against the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government ahead of the Madhya Pradesh assembly election. Out of power in the state for the past 14 years, the party feels it is necessary to mobilise the urban middle class.
It will highlight the concern regarding threat to democracy, judiciary and media under the BJP rule in the state and at the centre. Accordingly, conclaves for lawyers, activists, doctors and traders will be held in Jabalpur (April 21), Gwalior (April 28), Bhopal (May 5), Rewa (May 12) and Indore (date is yet to be finalised). Amit Agnihotri