Not a single Adivasi leader of Chhattisgarh has found a place in the national executive of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), whereas, in the previous committee two Adivasi leaders of the State were included as members.
The name of Rajya Sabha member of Parliament Nandkumar Sai was under discussion for the post of national president of Anusuchit Janjati Morcha of the party, but he was not even included in the national executive. After the establishment of Chhattisgarh State Sai was member of the national executive of the party. Besides Nandkumar Sai, MP from Raigarh Vishnudev Sai was included in the Team Gadkari, but in the Team Rajnath, even he could not find a place in the executive.
According to sources, the post of national president of Anusuchit Janjati Morcha of the party has been given to MP from Madhya Pradesh Faggan Singh Kulaste.
All the parliamentary seats of Anusuchit Janjati in Chhattisgarh State were with the BJP. Similarly most of the reserved Assembly seats for Anusuchit Janjati are also in the party fold. After the establishment of the State most of the presidents of the Morcha were Adivasis. Hence it was hoped that importance would be given to the Adivasi leaders of the State in the national executive of the party.
A demand for Adivasi Chief Minister in the State has been raised time and again and it cannot be ruled out that the new development in the party would affect the election possibilities in the State.
Many leaders associated with the BJP were of the opinion that the State leaders should have been given more importance in the national executive, but only Saroj Pandey has been included in the office-bearers of the party.
Many party leaders, on the condition of anonymity, said it was a matter of surprise that any of the leaders from the half-a-dozen MPs of the Anusuchit Janjati in the State has not been included in the national executive of the party.
They said in the time to come this matter could be hot up and it might give a chance to the Opposition to speak against the party.