Intense lobbying for BJP district presidents in MP

The BJP in Madhya Pradesh seems to be witnessing intense lobbying for the post of district presidents to be appointed in all the 56 organisational districts of the state on November 30.

Fissures seem to have emerged among former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, state BJP president Rakesh Singh, party general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar, Prahlad Patel, Thawar Chand Gehlot and Faggan Singh Kulaste, who would like their own supporters to be appointed as district presidents.

BJP spokesperson Deepak Vijayvargiya said: "Efforts will be made to build consensus among the various leaders for the appoitment of district presidents. If there is no consensus, the process of election will be be initiated."

Earlier, during mandal presidents' elections, the leadership tried to build consensus at most of the places, but the same cannot be said about district presidents elections as there are various warring groups in the state, a party leader said.

Political commentator Saji Thomas said there is little chance of consensus this time, as the district president elections are happening at a time when BJP is out of power in the state. So there is no way the party can accomodate those who feel disgruntled or marginalised after the elections. When the BJP was in power, it used to placate those office bearers who could not make it to the post of district presidents by various other means, he said.

Tension is also brewing over for the post of state BJP president. Currently Rakesh Singh is the Madhya Pradesh BJP president and his term is coming to an end.

There are various claimants for the top party post. But they must exercise grip over the mandal and the district presidents. A leader with highest number of mandal and district presidents on his side has better chance to be the state president, said another political commentator.IANS