Picture : Twitter/ ANI
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) recently appointed new state presidents in four states, in what it termed a routine ‘organisational rejig. However, the new replacements indicate a change of political strategy in these respective states. All the new appointees have something in common. All of them enjoy a clean image; all are mass leaders; and all of them represent the new social representation strategy of the party. Among them a few appointees are being linked to ‘parivaarwaad’. A K Antony’s son, Anil Antony, Late Sushma Swaraj’s daughter, Bansuri Swaraj, Chirag Paswan, and others. Since BJP has always been quiet vocal about Congress parivaar theory, the new appointments does raise eyebrows about BJP too favouring the next generation of it’s stalwart leaders!
To begin with, Bansuri Swaraj, the daughter of late Sushma Swaraj, has been appointed as co-convener of the legal cell of Delhi BJP, paving her entry into active politics. Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva, in his first appointment in the state unit after taking over as full-time state president, appointed Swaraj as co-convener of the legal cell with her appointment coming into force with immediate effect and hoped that she would strengthen the BJP. Swaraj said she has been helping the party in legal matters earlier as well. She said, “It is just that I have been formally given an opportunity to serve the party more actively in the capacity as a legal department co-convener of the Delhi BJP.”
Swaraj thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and top BJP leaders for her appointment. In a tweet, she said, “I am grateful to the Hon’ble PM Narendra Modi ji, Amit Shah ji, J P Nadda ji, B L Santhosh, Virendra Sachdeva, @BJP4Delh and @BJP4India for giving me this opportunity to serve the party as the state co-convenor of the Bharatiya Janata Party Delhi State Legal Cell.”
Picture : Twitter/ ANI
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president J.P. Nadda on July 29 effected a reshuffle of the national team of office bearers of the party, dropping two general secretaries while adding former Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) vice chancellor Tariq Mansoor as vice president and Anil Antony, son of former Defence Minister A.K. Antony as national secretary. The BJP has long been trying to woo the Christian community in Kerala and Antony’s brand, both as belonging to the community and as son of A K Antony, was a consideration in his appointment.
Similarly, the appointment of Daggubati Purandeswari came as a big surprise, at a time when the party was facing a crisis in Andhra Pradesh. Daggubati Purandeswari is the second daughter of legendary Telugu actor and former chief minister late N T Rama Rao, is the sister-in-law of Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu. “Perhaps, she was given the reins in a bid to get some support from the TDP either openly or covertly in the 2024 polls.” sources said. The decision has come at a time when the BJP’s attempts to forge a pre-poll coalition with the TDP and Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena Party is faltering. The failure to stitch up a social coalition has forced the party to appoint Purandeswari, who emerged as a leader only as a Congress MP in the state. By trying to engage the TDP and Jana Sena Party, the saffron party wanted to tap into the influential Kamma and Kapu communities, represented respectively by the two regional parties. However, with none of that tactic working out, the BJP wants to gain from NTR’s legacy, even as that may push the Kamma-driven TDP further into a corner.
On the other hand, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan, who joined the NDA ahead of the next year’s Lok Sabha polls, said his party will contest from the Hajipur parliamentary constituency amid a row over the seat with his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras. After joining the NDA alliance, Chirag Paswan said, “I can say it with confidence that LJP (Ram Vilas) will contest from the Hajipur Lok Sabha seat.” The Hajipur seat is significant as Chirag Paswan’s father Ram Vilas Paswan was an MP from this constituency from 2014 and 2019. He was also a Cabinet Minister in the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre, holding the portfolio of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution until his death in 2020. Dismissing speculations about being inducted into the Union Cabinet, Chirag Paswan said holding a ministerial post was not a priority for him and it was a big responsibility. “I saw my father becoming the Cabinet Minister. It is a big responsibility. For me, holding a ministerial post is not my priority. I am happy that the BJP had given this honour to my father,” he said.
Reasons may be umpteen for the appointment, but they do give a sense of favouritism. BJP should have rock solid reasons to defend it’s stand in choosing various representatives and be very cautious of giving ammunition to the Congress party regarding the latest appointees.
