In first organisational rejig for BJP, Nadda sends Ram Lal back to the RSS
NEW DELHI: In its first organisational change after the appointment of JP Nadda as the working president of the BJP, powerful organisational secretary of the saffron outfit Ram Lal has been repatriated back to Rashtriya Swayam Sewak Sangh.
While Lal’s repatriation had been on the card for past two years since he had served at the position for about 12 years, he has been designated in the RSS as co-communication in-charge (Akhil Bhartiya Sah Karyawah Prachar).
“Ram Lal has been appointed all India communication co-in charge in the RSS. The BJP will decide on his replacement,” the RSS communication head Arun Kumar told this newspaper. Speculation is rife that V Satish, joint general secretary of the BJP, will take up the position of the powerful organisational secretary in the outfit.
The BJP has not yet officially announced the replacement of Lal in the party. The decision has come at a time when the RSS is holding its conclave of “Pracharaks” in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh.
Lal, incidentally, has been given the position which the BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav once held before he was inducted in the BJP.
Within the BJP, Lal was seen as a power centre, coordinating with general secretaries and state units, while he oversaw three Lok Sabha elections - 2009, 2014 and 2019. He executed the decisions of the party presidents.
“Decision to repatriate Lal back to RSS appears on account of age factor. He’s 67 now. But Satish, who’s being talked about as his replacement, is also 65. Therefore, the RSS-BJP could be looking for the restructuring of the top party leadership as part of the transition of leadership upon incumbent president Amit Shah becoming Union Minister for Home Affairs,” said a senior RSS functionary. Lal would be part of the national executive of the RSS.
The key position of the BJP is reserved for a functionary who’s loaned by the RSS.