NEW DELHI: Delhi is bracing for a high-profile electoral contest within the elite Constitution Club of India, as two senior BJP leaders and former Union ministers, Rajiv Pratap Rudy and Sanjeev Kumar Balyan, gear up for a crucial internal election that has sparked intense interest across party lines.
At the heart of the contest is the prestigious post of Secretary (Administration) of the Club, located in the capital’s political nerve centre, Lutyens’ Delhi.
Interestingly, the face-off has allegedly created a divide in the BJP. It is learnt that besides the top leadership, former Muzaffarnagar MP Balyan is being supported by members across parties.
According to the buzz in Delhi’s political corridors, Rudy, eyeing another term, is being fervently supported by a section of BJP leaders, where caste equations are also at play. Being a long-serving governing council functionary, the BJP MP from Bihar also enjoys widespread acceptability.
Rudy, who represents the Saran seat, has been holding the post of Secretary (Administration) for the last 25 years. A seasoned parliamentarian and trained commercial pilot, Rudy has previously been elected unopposed.
On the other hand, Balyan’s connection with western Uttar Pradesh and Haryana leaders seems to be working in his favour. Some MPs are also allegedly helping him garner votes from southern states.
As the contest has turned into a high-stakes, tightly fought battle, several former MPs are camping in the city to campaign for their respective candidate.
The polling for the crucial post, along with elections for the 11 executive members, will take place on August 12. A total of 14 candidates are in the fray for the 11 executive committee posts.
The Club, located on Rafi Marg just a few hundred metres from Parliament House, was opened in February 1947 with the objective of fostering social contacts and providing amenities for the benefit of MPs. It has emerged as an enviable forum providing a platform for interaction among incumbent and former parliamentarians.
The Club is headed by the Lok Sabha Speaker as the ex-officio President, the Deputy Speaker as General Secretary, and a Union Minister and Rajya Sabha Deputy Chair among the Vice-Presidents. It has over 1,200 members.
Elections are also held for three other key positions, Secretary (Culture), Secretary (Sports) and Treasurer. Rajya Sabha MPs Tiruchi Siva and Rajiv Shukla have already been unanimously elected as Secretary (Culture) and Secretary (Sports).
Telangana’s A. P. Jithender Reddy has also been elected as Treasurer of the Club. A two-time member of Parliament from the Mahabubnagar Lok Sabha constituency, Reddy currently serves as the Special Representative of the Telangana government in New Delhi and also advises the state government on sports affairs.
Two nominations were received for each post; however, others withdrew their nominations, leading to the election of the three MPs unopposed.