BJP top leaders meet for second time to pick state president
BHUBANESWAR: Top leaders of the BJP on Wednesday met again for selecting a consensus candidate to the post of state unit president and political appointments to boards and corporations of public sector enterprises.
The core committee of the party, which earlier met on February 14, had taken up the same agenda but could not reach a decision despite the presence of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.
“The agenda for discussion was the same. Since the discussions in last meeting remained inconclusive, we expect a positive outcome from today’s meeting as all top leaders including the chief minister, two deputy chief ministers, national general secretary Tarun Chugh and Odisha co-in-charge Vijaypal Singh Tomar were present,” said a senior leader.
He, however, said, “Selection of a common candidate for party’s state president can be done first but finalising the list of candidates for different boards, corporations, commissions and special development councils will take time.”
With only 12 state presidents appointed, the central election committee of the BJP is keen to expedite the election in Odisha. The party needs to have at least half of state presidents (18 out 36 states) in place to make it eligible for election of national president, said another party leader.
With the appointment of 36 presidents out of 37 organisational districts, Odisha has qualified to elect a new state president. Only Sambalpur district doesn’t have a president now.
Talking to mediapersons before the meeting, Chugh said the process to elect a new national president is underway and Odisha BJP will also get a new party chief soon.
Party’s Odisha co-in-charge Vijaypal Singh Tomar said the election of a new BJP president for the state will be announced in due course. “It takes time because a decision in the BJP is taken only after consultations with party workers and leaders,” he said.
The meeting held in the official residence of KV Singh Deo was attended by state BJP president Manmohan Samal, general secretary (organisation) Manas Mohanty, and former president Samir Mohanty among others.