India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) changed its party unit chiefs in Delhi, Bihar, Rajasthan, and Odisha regions In a major rejig on Thursday.
All three regions are currently not ruled by the BJP.
Low-Key Virendra Sachdeva to Lead Delhi BJP
In Delhi, the BJP picked 55-year-old Virendra Sachdeva, who was in charge of the Delhi BJP unit after previous state head Adesh Gupta was eased off in the wake of the party’s defeat in civic polls last year.
Sachdeva previously held various posts in the BJP, including working at district units of the party in Delhi.
Soon after his name was announced as Delhi BJP president, supporters gathered at the party office and distributed sweets. One of his supporters told Sputnik, “Sachdeva is an organizational level and low-key person. In past years, he played an important role as a moderator between party workers and decision-makers."
"We’re happy, and under his guidance, we will win all seven parliamentary seats of Delhi in the 2024 elections,” he added.
Sachdeva joined BJP's parental organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in his early life as a volunteer.
While interacting with reporters soon after taking charge, Sachdeva said that his immediate priority is keeping the locally-ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) off the horizon from upcoming national elections and later in the assembly election.
Internal Rift in Rajasthan Makes Way for CP Joshi
In Rajasthan, the BJP replaced its current state unit chief Satish Poonia with Chandra Prakash Joshi. The 47-year-old is currently a parliamentarian from Rajasthan’s Chittorgarh constituency.
Joshi’s elevation came at a time when the state assembly election is only eight months away.
Sputnik spoke with Semeer Chougaonkar, an author, and senior journalist who wrote about the BJP for many years.
“From the past many months, internal rift within Rajasthan’s BJP members was doing the rounds. It was expected that high command would intervene and make some announcement in that light,” Chougaonkar told Sputnik.
He was referring to the rift between Poonia and former Rajasthan chief Vasundhara Raje, one the prominent BJP leaders in the state.
Explaining why Joshi’s name was picked, Chougaonkar said, “He hails from an upper caste community which happens to be a crucial vote segment in the state.”
“The last time, when Rajasthan had a state unit chief from the Brahmin (priest) community, that was three decades ago. Now, I don’t think that the BJP is even going to name Joshi as a chief ministerial candidate in the state,” he added.
“ For now, the BJP is trying to send the message within that they (Brahmins) are equally important for the party,” Chougaonkar added.
Samrat Choudhary to Consolidate Vote in Bihar
In Bihar, the party appointed Samrat Choudhary as its state unit chief, replacing Sanjay Jaiswal whose three-year tenure ended last October, despite requests that he continue.
The BJP likewise changed presidents in 27 of the 45 organization districts in Bihar last week.
Last year, after the fall of the BJP-Janata Dal-United (JDU)- led ruling coalition in Bihar, many important politicians shifted their focus to the state.
Currently, no BJP politician holds as much sway as being maintained by Nitish Kumar, the current Bihar state chief, and Janata Dal (United) leader.
Kumar is viewed as the biggest Other Backward Class (OBC) leader in Bihar, the same class represented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“The party is depended on PM Modi as the voice of OBCs in the state,” Chougaonkar added.
Bihar has as many as 40 parliamentary seats out of 543, and the state assembly election is due in 2025.
“Chaudhary is aimed at consolidating the Kushwaha community vote (~13 percent of the total population) vote bank, which is currently voting to JD-U,” Bihar-based expert Ravinder Jha told Sputnik.
Traditionally, Kushwahas are farmers' communities and the second largest community in the state after OBC.
Old Face Makes His Way in Odisha
In Odisha, the party appointed Manmohan Samal as state president, who has replaced Samir Mohanty. Samal has already served as BJP state president, state minister, and parliamentarian.
State Assembly elections are due in Odisha simultaneously with the national election in 2024.
According to a local media report, the 64-year-old Samal emerged after he played a crucial role last year in ensuring the BJP win in the by-election at Odisha's Dhamnagar Assembly seat.