The absence of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s pictures from banners put up to welcome new state BJP president Keshav Prasad Maurya has set tongues wagging about the internal discord in the party over the new incumbent’s selection.
The backdrop of the stage had photographs of important leaders like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Atal Bihari Bajpai, lal Krishna Advani, Amit Shah and UP’s incharge Om Mathur. But Rajnath’s name and picture were conspicuously missing.
Rajnath loyalist Sanju Singh even drew the attention of party brass about the leader’s missing picture. “He is the Union Home Minister and second in command in the Union government and also an MP from lucknow. How can leaders or organisers give Rajnath a missIJ” he questioned.
Pictures of all prominent leaders were there in the banners and hoardings from Charbagh railway station to the party office. Besides, the backdrop of the stage at the party office was designed by the party brass and eyebrows were raised as to how leaders could miss out on Rajnath Singh.
However, a senior leader chose to downplay the incident saying: “Please do not read between the lines. It was an inadvertent mistake.”
BJP chief Keshav Prasad also tried to play down the controversy and mentioned Rajnath Singh’s name once in his speech.
Political grapevine, however, was abuzz that senior leaders were sulking over the appointment of Keshav Prasad Maurya as the new party chief. They alleged that they were not taken into confidence before finalising and declaring the name. All senior party leaders had their loyalists whom they wanted to project as the next party president.
“Amit Shah has pulled out a rabbit from the hat in the form of Keshav Prasad Maurya to quell bickerings among different lobbies. This man is an answer to Thakur and Brahmin lobbies. He has been accepted by party workers,” a senior BJP leader said.