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Journalism of Courage
NEW DELHI, SEPT 1: The new BJP president, Bangaru Laxman, is facing various constraints in announcing his team of office-bearers, likely to be constituted before Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee leaves for the United States on September 7.
Laxman’s major problem is finding a substitute for BJP general secretary M. Venkaiah Naidu — who also doubles up as party spokesman — if the latter is inducted into the Union Cabinet. The Prime Minister is learnt to have put off Cabinet reshuffle till his return.
Also, Laxman and Venkaiah Naidu are reportedly not on the best of terms and it would be difficult for the latter to continue as general secretary and spokesman under him. Sushma Swaraj has reportedly already declined to take up the post of general secretary and spokesperson.
During the past 24 hours, a series of meetings have taken place between the BJP top brass to finalise Laxman’s team. Outgoing president Kushabhau Thakre called on Vajpayee last evening. Venkaiah Naidu too held discussions with the Prime Minister this morning. Bangaru Laxman had separate sessions with Thakre, Home Minister L.K. Advani and Vajpayee. Advani met Vajpayee this evening.
As per the BJP’s amended constitution, there should be six representatives from among women, SCs and STs — at least one each — in the team of 21 office-bearers, including the BJP president. There is a provision for seven vice-presidents, five general secretaries, seven secretaries and a treasurer.
The BJP constitution prescribes mandatory replacement of 25 per cent of the 18 non-office-bearer executive members. Besides, the number of special invitees should not exceed 30 per cent of the strength of the national executive. The amended constitution which also prescribes a quota for eight SC/ST and 10 women representatives in the 75-member national executive.
Sushma’s refusal to be the general secretary and spokesman has made the new party chief look for a woman representative as well. With BJP vice-president Karia Munda tipped to be the chief minister of Jharkhand, Laxman is also looking for a Scheduled Tribe leader to be inducted into his team.
To continue with the spirit of the Nagpur conclave, Laxman would have special emphasis on representation to Dalits and Muslims in his team, sources close to him say.
It is thus felt that the new president may, for the first time, appoint a Muslim, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, as general secretary. Naqvi, a former Union Minister of State, was secretary in Thakre’s team.
Of the outgoing team, K.N. Govindacharya, Narendra Modi and Venkaiah Naidu, (if not included in the Union Cabinet) are expected to be retained as general secretaries. Laxman is likely to fill the remaining two vacancies by picking up either Naqvi or vice-president Ram Das Agarwal or secretaries Pyare Lal Khandelwal and Padnabhacharya.
Another general secretary with Thakre, Sanghpriya Gautam, is likely to be promoted as vice-president to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Madan Lal Khurana.
Laxman is also keen to give more representation to women in his team but is having difficulty finding “capable” leaders. He is likely to induct women wing’s chief Maya Singh as either secretary or general secretary.
BJP Yuva Morcha president Ram Ashish Rai, who is a member of the Legislative Council in Uttar Pradesh, is likely to be replaced by another young leader — Rameshwar Prasad, an MLA in Bihar Assembly.
