With UP State Assembly Elections barely a few months ahead, the BJP think-tank is assembling in Lucknow to formulate its game plan for the forthcoming election in UP, Uttaranchal and Punjab and also on how to tackle the UPA rule at the Centre. But before all this, the National Executive, to converge for the first time in BJP’s history, will affirm Rajnath Singh as the party president for a three-year renewed term in his home state of Uttar Pradesh. A huge 20000 square feet pandal is being readied for this crowning ceremony, in which about 2500 members of BJP’s National Executive will be redeeming their faith in Singh’s presidency. The entire pandal will be bedecked in saffron colours and a 720 square feet stage is being prepared for the leaders to sit.
Focus clearly will be on Rajnath Singh, whose position has strengthened considerably after BJP’s good showing in the recently concluded civic elections, consequent to which he was described as ‘lucky vote catcher’ for the BJP by his core backer, the RSS. No doubt, this win silenced his detractors within the party and thus had a tremendous impact on strengthening his chances for a renewed three year term. Singh’s actions will be keenly watched as he chooses his new team and carries forward the proceedings under the shadow of towering personalities like Advani and Vajpayee, both of whom have lately been given the role of consultants, under RSS’s guidance.
RSS’s estranged relationship with Advani and closeness to Vajpayee was evident in the recent controversy where Advani was quoted as saying that he proposed Vajpayee’s name for prime ministership but was unsure if now his name would be proposed by Vajpayee for the same post in case the NDA returns to power at the Centre. Consequent to this, Rajnath Singh made his intentions and that of RSS clear by saying that Vajpayee would certainly be one of party’s prime ministerial candidates, in response to which Manmohan Singh said that BJP will have to wait for very long time before it could hope to come back to power.
That the focus is not going to be on deciding the prime ministerial candidate but on formulating the strategy for the elections was evident in the saying of Kalraj Mishra who stressed that UP elections were most crucial as its outcome would decide nation’s future political course.
Another interesting area would be whether the BJP sticks to its Hindutva agenda or dilutes it by merely airing a few utterances regarding minority appeasement at the hands of Mulayam Singh or Manmohan Singh government.
Also something that would be of interest to the people of UP would be to see whether Kalyan Singh is clearly projected as the Chief Ministerial candidate for the forthcoming elections. This is particularly so because Kalyan Singh’s estranged relations with Rajnath Singh in the past is well-known though the later has tried to bridge the gap after assuming the mantle of Party’s president.
The national executive is being held in Lucknow after a gap of 15 years and the senior BJP leaders from UP are sparing no chance to make it a success. The State administration too has been put on high alert and more than 3500 policemen are being deployed for the cause. In this regard, Naveen Chandra Vajpayee – State’s Chief Secretary – has already completed the arrangements and given suitable instructions to the team responsible for security.
Focus clearly will be on Rajnath Singh, whose position has strengthened considerably after BJP’s good showing in the recently concluded civic elections, consequent to which he was described as ‘lucky vote catcher’ for the BJP by his core backer, the RSS. No doubt, this win silenced his detractors within the party and thus had a tremendous impact on strengthening his chances for a renewed three year term. Singh’s actions will be keenly watched as he chooses his new team and carries forward the proceedings under the shadow of towering personalities like Advani and Vajpayee, both of whom have lately been given the role of consultants, under RSS’s guidance.
RSS’s estranged relationship with Advani and closeness to Vajpayee was evident in the recent controversy where Advani was quoted as saying that he proposed Vajpayee’s name for prime ministership but was unsure if now his name would be proposed by Vajpayee for the same post in case the NDA returns to power at the Centre. Consequent to this, Rajnath Singh made his intentions and that of RSS clear by saying that Vajpayee would certainly be one of party’s prime ministerial candidates, in response to which Manmohan Singh said that BJP will have to wait for very long time before it could hope to come back to power.
That the focus is not going to be on deciding the prime ministerial candidate but on formulating the strategy for the elections was evident in the saying of Kalraj Mishra who stressed that UP elections were most crucial as its outcome would decide nation’s future political course.
Another interesting area would be whether the BJP sticks to its Hindutva agenda or dilutes it by merely airing a few utterances regarding minority appeasement at the hands of Mulayam Singh or Manmohan Singh government.
Also something that would be of interest to the people of UP would be to see whether Kalyan Singh is clearly projected as the Chief Ministerial candidate for the forthcoming elections. This is particularly so because Kalyan Singh’s estranged relations with Rajnath Singh in the past is well-known though the later has tried to bridge the gap after assuming the mantle of Party’s president.
The national executive is being held in Lucknow after a gap of 15 years and the senior BJP leaders from UP are sparing no chance to make it a success. The State administration too has been put on high alert and more than 3500 policemen are being deployed for the cause. In this regard, Naveen Chandra Vajpayee – State’s Chief Secretary – has already completed the arrangements and given suitable instructions to the team responsible for security.
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