Ending months of speculation, BJP president Amit Shah appointed North East Delhi MP Manoj Tiwari, 45, as Delhi State BJP president on Wednesday, replacing Satish Upadhay.
Being a prominent Purvanchal face, Tiwari is seen to have sizeable following among them and his presence as State BJP chief may help the party in regaining control over three municipal bodies where elections are due in the first quarter of the next year, said sources. Addressing party workers at BJP office, Tiwari said, “I would like to thank PM Narendra Modi for showing trust on a new party worker like me. I will try to fulfill my responsibilities.”
Tiwari’s appointment is being seen as an attempt by the BJP to effect a turnaround in the city riding on the Purvanchali populace (comprising Bihar and UP migrants), who number around 40 lakh in the city and can influence the result of around 20 Assembly seats.
However, the actor-turned-politician, who represents the North East Delhi lok Sabha seat, tried to downplay his purvanchali roots, saying the organisation “should not be” categorised on regional lines.
Tiwari said his appointment to the top post came as a surprise to him and he came to know about it around 9 am on Wednesday.
He also emphasised on unity in the party saying the party does not believe in internal conflicts and divisions.
“It’s Arvind Kejriwal’s policy to divide and rule. Delhi is mini India and I will work to ensure that it is developed in a form as dreamt by PM Modi,” he said. Tiwari also attacked AAP without naming it, saying Delhi has turned into a “war zone” under its rule.
“What we need is a work plan and not a war plan. See, how some people have changed Delhi into a war zone. Delhi needs a work plan and not the false promises and backtracking on those promises as they have done.
“Those who cheated Delhi and have run away will be defeated and exposed by us. The same people who once claimed to fight corruption are now siding with corrupt and protesting against demonetisation on the streets,” he said.
Outgoing BJP Delhi president Upadhyay’s two-and-a-half-year long tenure has been marked by successive debacles and the meteoric rise of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) which decimated BJP in the national Capital. During 2015 Delhi Assembly polls, AAP led by Arvind Kejriwal had bagged unprecedented 67 seats of 70 member Delhi Assembly. The BJP could win only three seats. Congress the party that ruled Delhi for 15 long years under Sheila Dikshit could not win even a single seat.
Tiwari, who was born in Atarwalia in Bihar is a graduate of Banaras Hindu University (BHU). later, he emerged as a leading singer and actor of Bhojpuri film industry.
Senior party leaders, including Harsh Vardhan, Vijay Goel, Vijendere Gupta Upadhyay and party MPs assembled in the party office to congratulate Tiwari and assured their help and cooperation to him in discharging his role. He had joined BJP party just before 2014 lok Sabha polls.