Adesh Kumar Gupta made new BJP chief
NEWDELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday removed popular actor-turned-politician Manoj Tiwari as its Delhi unit chief after three-and-a-half years at the helm, replacing the Lok Sabka MP from North East Delhi with Adesh Kumar Gupta, a councillor from West Patel Nagar.
The BJP was reduced to just eight of the 70 seats in the Delhi assembly elections earlier this year as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), led by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, swept to power for a second term.
Tiwari is a Bhojpuri actor who holds sway in the Purvanchali community which the BJP was trying to woo, while Gupta is from the Baniya trading community considered a part of the BJP’s core supporters.
The appointment to the top job of a councillor was also seen as an indication that the BJP is preparing ground for the 2022 Delhi municipal corporation (MCD) elections.
The 51-year-old Gupta, who started his political career with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), has risen through the ranks, and was elected the Mayor of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation in 2018. He was office secretary in Delhi BJP in 2012, and is currently the member of north corporation’s standing committee.
Gupta said that his immediate focus will be to raise the problems faced by Delhi resident during the Covid-19 pandemic. “The Delhi government has not been able to provide essential services to people whether it is ration or medical facility to people. We will raise these issues and expose the government. As far as the state unit is concerned, we will work towards strengthening it. I’m thankful to the party for giving me this opportunity,” said Gupta.
A senior Delhi BJP leader said on condition of anonymity that the biggest challenge for Gupta will be strengthening the state unit after the February 2020 assembly elections defeat, and added that an organisational overhaul was expected soon.