BJP moves to rejig organisations in poll-bound MP, Raj

Having suffered reverses in recent bypolls, the BJP moved to rejig its organisations in two states where assembly elections are due later this year, as it appointed a new party president in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday and appeared set to bring in a new chief in Rajasthan.

BJP president Amit Shah on Wednesday appointed its Jabalpur MP Rakesh Singh (56) as the new president of its Madhya Pradesh unit while indicating that it is also changing its state presidents in Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh. Singh replaces Khandwa MP Nand Kumar Singh Chouhan (66) who had expressed desire to step down.

The party is also replacing Jaipur MLA Ashok Parnami (63) as its Rajasthan unit president. Though name of his successor is not out, Parnami has been co-opted in the party''s national executive, which he used to attend so far as ex-officio state president.

"I have worked for strengthening the party as its worker. I will continue to work in accordance with the responsibilities given to me as a disciplined party worker," Parnami, who had been appointed as Rajasthan BJP chief in February 2014 and is an MLA from Jaipur's Adarsh Nagar constituency, said.

Andhra Pradesh BJP President Dr K Hari Babu, MP, has resigned from the post and he has been also brought on the national executive, says a BJP announcement by its general secretary and headquarter in-charge Arun Singh.

Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar, who was in contention for the post of the party president in Madhya Pradesh, will be its campaign committee chief, sources said.

Elections to the 230-member Madhya Pradesh Assembly will be held by the end of the year.