Change of guard likely in BJP

Vijay Deo Jha Published February 18. 2008 The Pioneer

The central leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party seems to be contemplating a change of guard in Jharkhand. In all probability, it may go in for a veteran party leader to head the organisation in the State. The rumours doing the rounds in the party headquarters here suggest that Member of Rajya Sabha Devdas Apte could be assigned the task to gear up the party in the State. The names of party MLA from Jamshedpur West Saryu Rai, Dineshanand Goshwami, former State party president, Yadunath Pandey, former State chief, Raghubar Das and Sunil Singh also figure in the list of the prospective president of the State BJP. Already worried about the repeated defeats of the party in the byelections including the recent Semaria byelection, the party high command fears a mass debacle in the next Assembly election if the corrective measures were not taken. Since the party is also eyeing to capture at least 10 out of 14 Lok Sabha seats in Jharkhand, the central leadership is serious about handing over the reigns to a more capable person . According to the sources, the BJP president, Rajnath Singh have conveyed his concern over the poor performance of the party to the State president of BJP, PN Singh during his Delhi visit a week ago. PN Singh had gone to Delhi to discuss the proposed rally of the party. The Leader of Opposition of BJP in the State assembly Arjun Munda who was on a personal visit to Delhi also met the senior party leaders and he was also conveyed the same. The high command has not taken it kindly that the state unit did not convene a review meeting on the defeat of the party in Simaria.But, the party does not want to take any decision in hurry as it would create confusion among the party cadre and prefers to maintain a status quo till the month of March when the civic body polls would be over. The party expects to regain lost grounds by way of better performance in the corporation election. Although, the said election is not fought on the party line but the State leadership is considering it an opportunity to impress the central leadership.However, the present incumbent, PN Singh, who will in any case continue to be the State president till next year, ruled out such possibility. He, however, conceded that the State BJP required an overhauling which was slated to be discussed after the month of March. He hinted that an important meeting of the party functionaries may be convened in the last week of this month to discuss the issues including the strategies to revive the party to perform well in the corporation elections.