Chouhan’s Man

New BJP state unit chief Rakesh Singh has to hit the ground running

The appointment of Jabalpur Lok Sabha MP Rakesh Singh as the new state BJP president on April 18 clearly signals that Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has been able to prevail on the party high command in Delhi.

While former state unit chief Nandkumar Singh Chauhan’s exit had been “imminent” since the party’s defeat in the recent Mungaoli and Kolaras bypolls, Singh’s induction clearly shows that the saffron leadership isn’t willing to chance anything in a crucial election year.

This is despite intense lobbying for the position by nearly half a dozen BJP leaders, including state ministers Narottam Mishra and Lal Singh Arya and former Union minister Faggan Singh Kulaste. Other names like those of national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya and former Union minister Prahlad Patel also did the rounds but were considered unlikely given their strained rapport with the chief minister.

Chief Minister Chouhan was reportedly keen on bringing Narendra Singh Tomar back for the third time. The Tomar-Chouhan combination was a winner in both 2008 and 2013. Tomar, who currently holds the rural development, panchayati raj and mines portfolios at the Centre, reportedly declined the offer. The CM, however, has ensured his involvement as convenor of the BJP’s state election committee.

New party chief Rakesh Singh was given his first big break by Union minister Uma Bharti (then MP chief minister) who backed his nomination for the Jabalpur Lok Sabha seat in 2004. He is also known to be close to former Union minister and Damoh MP, Prahlad Patel. The two entered student politics together.

Singh’s critics, however, say his induction just six months ahead of the assembly polls may be too little too late. It’s also being pointed out that besides his stint as the BJP’s co-in-charge for Maharashtra, Singh doesn’t have a great deal of organisational experience. And he’s got his tasks cut out for him, the first of which will be to identify seats where incumbents need to be dropped. The new state BJP chief will have to be proactive here, in minimising the inevitable rebellion following allocation of tickets for the assembly elections scheduled for later this year.

The new BJP president will also have to retain a semblance of independence, and not get reduced to playing ‘second fiddle’ to the chief minister. This, while he keeps grizzled veterans like Babulal Gaur and Sartaj Singh in good humour. Signalling that he knows what he’s up against, Singh said on taking charge, “I met Sartaj Singh-ji... all BJP workers will work unitedly for the next elections.” If only it were so easy.

SINGH’S FIRST TASK WILL BE TO IDENTIFY SEATS WHERE INCUMBENTS HAVE TO BE DROPPED