Former BJP chief Nitin Gadkari is likely to be assigned organisational responsibilities in poll-bound Delhi and Rajasthan. Irrespective of the nomenclature of his assignment, the party top brass feel Gadkari’s presence in the party’s faction-ridden units in the Capital as well as in the desert State will help streamline internal affairs ahead of the crucial polls.
“Given his stature as former BJP chief, who is also known for his proximity to the top RSS leadership, we hope his presence would address many issues that are confronting these State units,” a senior BJP leader said. An announcement to this effect is expected in a week.
The Delhi BJP appears vertically split with a section of the party leaders holding events parallel to those by State chief Vijay Goel. As of now, the Delhi unit of the BJP is without a Prabhari and the central leadership has to intervene every time to settle local disputes. National spokesman Syed Shahnawaz Hussain was earlier tipped to become the Prabhari of the State, but his name was opposed by a section of the party.
In Rajasthan too, the equation between Chief Ministerial candidate Vasundhara Raje and local RSS unit in the State has been a subject of intense speculation. Raje’s defeat in 2008 Assembly election is also claimed to be the result of her tug-of-war with the local RSS leaders.
Sources claimed Raje was earlier interested in having Gadakri as the central Prabhari who could anytime invoke the top RSS leadership to rein in the local unit. The party, however, repeated Rajya Sabha member Kaptan Singh Solanki as State in-charge.
“Gadkari’s involvement in both these States would help address issues locally. The Nagpur politician is considered a hardtask master and a man without likes and dislikes. His presence in Delhi and Rajasthan is expected to bring cohesiveness between factions,” a BJP leader said.
Incidentally, BJP veteran lK Advani had proposed an election management committee under Gadakri for the four election-bound States - Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh - but it did not elicit much support from the BJP’s top leadership.