BJP leadership mulls changes in state units

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 18

Not just Karnataka, the BJP leadership appears to be working on effecting significant leadership changes in other states ruled by it.

After the recent change of the Uttarakhand CM and the mega shake-up of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Council of Ministers, sources claim the central leadership is also considering a reboot in states where it is in opposition.

While the recent Delhi visit by Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa and his meetings with the central leadership grabbed all attention, those with chief ministers from other states, including Madhya Pradesh and Tripura, went under the radar.

While party leaders call them “normal, routine meetings”, sources, however, claim these to be “indicative of major changes in important BJP-ruled states”. Apparently, the party and its ideological fountainhead, the RSS, are also planning an overhaul in states where the BJP is in the opposition, the first indication of which came from Rajasthan when the state BJP yesterday expelled former state minister Rohitashav Sharma for six years on the charge of breach of discipline.

According to sources, the party is trying to bring in new leaders in states like Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan.

“The sangh also believes that the BJP should promote young leaders so that the party has a fresh line of leadership in the next few years,” they say. Notably, the meetings come in the wake of the results of the Assembly elections and feedback of the second Covid wave.

Yediyurappa has announced the convening of the BJP legislature party meeting on July 26. It remains to be seen whether he will make some announcement on the day to pave way for the change the BJP and RSS are looking for in the southern state.

Meanwhile, several names are doing the rounds as a replacement, including Union Minister Prahlad Joshi and General Secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh.