The BJP legislature party would meet on Tuesday, a day ahead of the crucial Budget session of the State Assembly commencing on Wednesday, to take a final call on the leader of the Opposition, a post that the newly-elected State party president Ajay Bhatt has been holding.
In view of the Assembly election next year drawing closer, the BJP top brass is sending a central observer to ensure a smooth election. However, sources say the party High Command has already decided not to replace Bhatt as loP at a brainstorming session held in Delhi on March 3. Party insiders say that the High Command has decided to tread cautiously as the State party chief and the loP are considered the chief ministerial candidates.
"If things are left open for loP there is a possibility that Madan Kaushik or Harbans Kapur would pitch in and turn claimants for the coveted post, a prospect that the BJP's central leadership is wary about, given the fissures gnawing at the State party from within," one of the State BJP insiders said.
Sources further say that the party's central leadership is extra cautious as the present Vidhan Sabha term is set to end by the end of this year. "It is possible that the Election Commission might pre-pone election, bringing it as near as October 2016. Given the fact that the House has limited time with just three sessions - Budget, Monsoon and Winter - left, they are reluctant to let others to spring up as the aspirants for the CM's post," an observer said.
Party leaders say it is a convention to convene the legislature party meeting ahead of an Assembly session. They say there is little likelihood of Bhatt being replaced by a new one as the loP. However, the final picture would unfold on Tuesday.
It is learnt that although both the leaders - Kapur and Kaushik - are pulling out all the stops to impress the party High Command, the latter is in a fix and so it is singularly unwilling to indulge the duo.
However, the State BJP president and incumbent loP Ajay Bhatt is also very much in the scene to cling to the post of loP for the remainder of the present Assembly. A seasoned politician as he is, Bhatt knows that if he can remain in both the posts he would be able to keep others at bay.