Gadkari told to pick UP chief
The BJP on Thursday authorised its chief Nitin Gadkari to decide the name of its Uttar Pradesh unit chief Surya Pratap Shahi’s successor. Mr Shahi had tendered his resignation after the Assembly poll loss. A more than four- hour- long meeting of the BJP top brass and senior leaders from the state at Mr Gadkari’s residence also reviewed the UP Assembly poll debacle. National secretary Santosh Gangwar and state unit vice- president Lakshmi Kant Vajpayee are the top contenders for the post. Lucknow mayor Dinesh Sharma and Ragvendra Singh’s names are also doing the rounds for the top post in the party’s state unit.
Sources disclosed that the state unit leaders blamed the pre- poll surveys conducted by the Central leadership for failing to give a correct picture and political assessment. Sources said the poll loss assessment showed that confusion at the ideological level, lack of poll strategy and failure to enthuse the rank and file also affected the party’s poll prospects in this crucial state.
Some of the leaders also blamed the selection of candidates. The issue of growing factionalism and induction of scam- tainted Uttar Pradesh minister Babu Singh Kushwaha also came up for discussion. Some of the state leaders also complained that presence of several senior leaders running their own individual campaigns had created confusion among the party workers.
The party also discussed the coming local bodies polls in UP and Delhi. The issue of reorganising the UP unit before the 2014 general polls was also discussed.
The meeting was also attended by senior leader Rajnath Singh along with Rajya Sabha member Vinay Katiyar and UP unit chief Surya Pratap Shahi. BJP in- charge of UP affairs Narendra Singh Tomar, senior leader Kalraj Mishra and in- charge of UP polls Sanjay Joshi were also present. Other senior leaders from the state were also present during the meeting.