BJP planning organisational changes in MP
With feedback from the ground indicating troubles for the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, where elections are scheduled by the end of this year and the opposition Congress is looking in a resurgent mode, the saffron party leadership is likely to go in for a major organisational change. The BJP top brass, sources disclosed, is in favour of replacing state unit chief Nandkumar Singh Chauhan, considered close to chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
The chief minister is visiting the national capital again on Tuesday, his second visit in less than a week apparently to discuss the issue. He had held a meeting with the BJP president Amit Shah last week on the issue last week. Names of national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, Damoh MP Prahlad Patel and state organisational general secretary Suhas Bhagat are doing the rounds to succeed Mr NandKumar Singh Chauhan.
Amid growing farmers unrest and growing disenchatment against the ruling BJP, the party top brass has also received feedback that even the saffron cadre is unhappy with the state leadership.
Mr Shah had already announced that Mr Chouhan would lead the party in the coming polls.
Speculation is rife that the party will change nearly 60 per cent of its current MLAs and also field nearly 50 per cent of its state MPs in the assembly polls to beat the anti- incumbency.
Sources said the feedback reaching the party leadership suggests that for the first time since it came to power in 2003, signs of anti- incumbency against the chief minister are being seen. Mr Chouhan himself has been heading the state government since 2005.
The BJP, which had lost crucial bypolls including in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar
Pradesh wants to go in for an overhaul in its state organisation, including in Shivraj Singh
Chouhan ruled MP. The state is one of the three BJP ruled states, which will be going to polls, almost around the same time and the feedback from the three states are, sources said, "not very encouraging" for the saffron party.