BJP president Rajnath Singh has, at long last, re-jigged the organisational machinery, and appointed new party “prabharis” (in-charges) for various states, who will steer their respective states during the general elections.
In an important though expected development, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi-confidant Amit Shah has been made the incharge of the all-important state of Uttar Pradesh. Shah, who is considered a master strategist, will be assisted by three deputies -- Trivendra Singh Rawat, Rameshwar Chaurasia and Satyendra Kushwaha.
In a departure from the past where certain party general secretaries were allowed to look after multiple states, Rajnath has allotted one state each to party leaders, including general secretaries. Party’s youth leader and general secretary Varun Gandhi has been made the in-charge of West Bengal. Another young leader and a vice-president in the party hierarchy -- Smriti Irani -- has been made the in-charge of the BJP-ruled Goa.
In keeping with his “please-all, antagonise-none” policy, general secretary Dharmendra Pradhan has been allowed to retain Bihar -- even after he messed up with Karnataka. Kanataka, in the new team, has been given to party’s Dalit face, Thawar Chand Gehlot.
In the election-bound states, the party president’s attempt has been not to disturb the existing arrangements. So, Kaptan Singh Solanki will continue to look after Rajasthan while general secretaries Ananth Kumar and J P Nadda will respectively look after Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
Gen secretary Rajiv Pratap Rudy has been entrusted the responsibility of Maharashtra. Since Rajnath has a special interest in Jharkhand, he has made his confidant Ramapati Ram Tripathi the in-charge of the state.