With an eye to the 2019 lok Sabha and 2020 Assembly polls in the State a staunch nationalist and outspoken BJP legislator from Nowshera Assembly segment Ravinder Raina was appointed as new State BJP chief by the party national president Amit Shah on Sunday.
Raina replaces sitting state BJP chief Sat Pal Sharma who was recently inducted in the state cabinet.
41 year old Raina had served RSS as ‘pracharak’ in his formative years and was later inducted in the party fold after a brief stint as President of Bharatiya Janta Yuva Morcha (BJYM).
Many senior party leaders were in the race for the post of State party chief but the party high command backed Raina’s candidature keeping in view coming lok Sabha and Assembly polls in the State.
During the recent reshuffle in the State Cabinet the BJP had overhauled its team in the council of Ministers and similarly the party was hoping to induct youth leaders on key party posts to prepare youthful team ahead of the crucial polls.
Raina is considered one of the firebrand party legislators who never shied away from raising anti-Pakistan slogans inside the State Assembly and vociferously countered Kashmiri leadership.
He attracted media attention from day one in the State Assembly complex as he staged a dramatic entry holding a tricolor in his hands.later he took oath in the name of Mata Vaishno Devi but was told to make amends by the speaker.
In 2015 he even attempted to thrash independent MlA Er Rashid on the floor of the State Assembly to register his protest against the ‘beef’ party thrown by him in the MlA hostel.
Speaking to The Pioneer over telephone from New Delhi where he is expected to attend party’s national executive meeting on Monday Ravinder Raina said, “ as RSS swayam sewak i have always performed to the best of my abilities with all sincerity and honesty. As State party Chief also i will perform my duties with honesty and in a transparent manner”.
Talking about major challenges ahead he said I am looking forward towards receiving support of senior party leaders and efficient team of leaders.Together we will try to implement the agenda of the party and address grievances of common people of the State.
He,however, shied away from commenting on controversial topics such as Amnesty scheme to stone pelters, poor pace of construction of bunkers along the loC/IB and how to ensure better coordination with the PDP leadership to implement Agenda of Alliance in the State. “I am meeting senior party leaders in Delhi, i will address all the issues after returning from the National capital”, he added.