BENGALURU: After appointing BY Vijayendra as president of the state unit, BJP announced the state office-bearers on Saturday. The new team consisting of ten vice presidents, four general secretaries, 10 state secretaries and heads of various frontal organisations is expected to play an important role ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
While senior leaders, who have openly expressed displeasure over Vijayendra’s appointment, have been kept out of the new team, former ministers Murugesh Nirani, Byrati Basavaraj, Rajugowda, N Mahesh and Malavika Avinash are among the vice-presidents.
Former minister and MLA V Sunil Kumar, whose name was also doing the rounds for the state president’s post, has been appointed state general secretary along with P Rajiv, NS Nandish Reddy and J Preetham Gowda. Former Hassan MLA Preetham Gowda’s appointment shows the BJP’s continued efforts to make inroads into the JDS and Congress bastion of Old Mysuru, especially former PM HD Deve Gowda’s home district Hassan.
As BJP and JDS have forged an alliance for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the new team needs to work with the regional party.
Shailendra Beldale from Bidar, DS Arun from Shivamogga, Basavaraj Mattimod from Kalaburgi, Lalitha Anapur from Yadgir, Dr Laxmi Ashwin Gowda from Mandya, Ambika Hulinaykar from Tumakuru are among 10 state secretaries.
Meanwhile, C Manjula from Shivamogga has been appointed head of the Mahila Morcha and Dheeraj Muniraju from Bengaluru has been appointed state president of BJP Yuva Morcha. Bangaru Hanumantu from Ballari will be president of ST Morcha, S Manjunath (Cement Manju) from Hassan, SC Morcha; Raghu Kautilya from Mysuru, Backward Classes Morcha; AS Patil Nadahalli from Vijayapura, Raita Morcha and Anil Thomas from Mysuru, Minorities Morcha.