Himachal BJP unit may get new president by year-end

Shimla: Will the new BJP state president be a choice of the party's national working president J P Nadda or a consensus candidate?

Speculations are rife about the party's national leadership trying to garner a consensus on a single name to take over the party's reins in Himachal Pradesh.

The process for electing a new president was already underway in the BJP ruled state in place of incumbent Satpal Satti, who has already completed two terms at the post. The party has completed most of the district bodies elections clearing the decks for state BJP president's election.

Party insiders say that the national leadership is keen to complete the process before December 27 this year — when state government led by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur will be completing two years in power.

Union Home Minister and BJP national president Amit Shah has already been invited by the Chief Minister to preside over a mega celebration to be held at the historic Ridge Maidan.

Initially, the party had set a deadline of December 20 this year, to elect new a party chief but things seem to be tied-up for the year-end.

Satti held a meeting with Chief Minister along with party's organisational head Pawan Rana to chalk out the modalities at Dharamshala last week. Earlier they had consultations with BJP senior Shanta Kumar and former CM Prem Kumar Dhumal. "There is a possibility of Nadda setting-up a team of three observers to visit Shimla and clinch the matter," said a top leader.

Some of the names doing the rounds for the post include Ram Singh, BJP's Dalit face, who is also the party general secretary, chief party spokesman Randhir Sharma, CM's political advisor and party secretary Trilok Jamwal ( Nadda's trusted lieutenant ) and former MP Kripal Parmar.

Ironically both Sharma and Jamwal hail from Bilaspur – Nadda's home town. The question now is whether the BJP is looking at caste and regional considerations?

Currently, both the Chief Minister and Party president belong to the Rajput community. Another factor is– whether a Kangra leader will be tipped for the party to strike a regional balance.

"All these issues will be addressed when the party observers and top leadership sit together. Right now, Nadda is busy with Jharkhand affairs where the poll results are likely to be out on December 23 this year. He will take the call on the issue maybe within a week's time," said another senior BJP leader.

On Sunday, Satti told the media that BJP general secretary (National) Murlidhar Rao is arriving at Shimla to hold discussions with senior leaders. He will also address a party convention on Citizens Amendment Act, 2019, and will also meet BJP's core group.

The efforts, in a way, is to evolve a complete consensus instead of viewing inconsequential factors like regions, caste of loyalties. "Our missions is 2022 Assembly polls," he told the Millennium Post here.

Meanwhile, the BJP is also working on a plan to name new Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Shimla in place of Kusum Sadret and Rakesh Sharma respectively. Their term will end on December 19. The election of the new Mayor and Deputy Mayor is also likely to be completed on December 20 this year.