Jockeying for new BJP State president set to commence

Would BJP select its State party chief as someone capable of directly taking on Congress Chief Minister Kamal Nath?

Jockeying for new Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State president is set to commence. Party insiders said the choice of new BJP chief would indicate the central leadership’s strategy to deal with Nath Government.

At an informal level, three senior BJP leaders are in the fray-former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, national BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya and Rajya Sabha member Prabhat Jha. Both Chaouhan and Kailash Vijayvargiya are seen as those capable of taking on Nath and attempt to dislodge the Congress regime.

There are two options with the BJP high command- sitting calm and strengthen the party organisation or going ahead and fight on the fore front.

The new face of the State president would certainly give clear message what the BJP high command wants in Madhya Pradesh.

At present, those senior BJP leaders who are in the fray are- former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, national BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya and Rajya Sabha member Prabhat Jha. Among them only the face of Kailash Vijayvargiya and Shivraj are considered as strong leader who could change the scenario in Madhya Pradesh.

At least on two occasions, Kailash Vijayvargiya has claimed that the BJP could form government in Madhya Pradesh, if the high command gives signal in this regard.

A State BJP functionary told that even before the election of State president’s election, when the list of district presidents is out, the picture would be almost clear. If new faces are visible in the list, it would be clear that the party high command is looking forward for better prospects in the State, he added.

Soon after the Congress came to power in Madhya Pradesh around a year ago, the State unit of the BJP seems defunct. In the leadership of the Leader of the Opposition, no major agitation could take place to corner the Government.