The change of guard in Madhya Pradesh unit of the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) is expected soon. A high-level meeting held at the State BJP headquarters at around 7.30 pm and later another meeting was scheduled at the Chief Minister’s residence after 10.30 pm.
The names that are doing rounds for the post of State BJP chief include Praliamentary Affairs Minister Narottam Mishra, Home Minister Bhupendra Singh and Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar.
While talking to media persons before the meetings, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan told media persons that State BJP Chief Nandkumar Singh Chouhan has expressed his desire to relieve him of the charge, as he wanted to concentrate on his parliamentary constituency.
Interestingly, Nandkumar's 'request' to relieve him came days after he kicked up a row saying that ‘the Kathua rape-murder might have been committed by Pakistan's agents to divide the society’.
CHouhan told, “The state BJP unit president told me over phone last night that he wanted to be relieved of the charge he has been holding because he wanted to concentrate on his Khandwa lok Sabha seat.”
Sources in the state BJP said that a group of leaders wanted Nandkumar out as they believe that he might not be able to provide a strong leadership ahead of the assembly elections, due later this year.
Nandkumar became the president of the state BJP unit in August 2014 replacing Narendra Singh Tomar. He was declared elected unopposed to the post in January 2016. Names of a few ministers are doing rounds to succeed Nandkumar in case the BJP leadership decides to replace him.