BHOPAL: BJP seem to be following Congress footsteps as far as its organizational set-up goes. At least, this seem to be the message from the election of BJP state president in Madhya Pradesh, whereby elections were a formality with Nand Kumar Singh Chauhan’s name was pre-decided by high command.
Chauhan aka Nandu Bhaiyya was tipped to file his nomination, incidentally alone, while all other aspirants supported him, some of them unwillingly though.
This also gave credence to the rumours that chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has a strong say in state party affairs.
“It’s a matter of great concern that party is choking internal democratic voice by nominating a single leader and not promoting healthy competition. There were options and elections could have been held in a healthy environment. Anyway, we are with the party,” said a senior leader on condition of anonymity.
Election for party state president was held in MP in 1999 when Shivraj Singh Chouhan contested against the then acting president Vikram Verma. Thereafter no elections were held and all other state party presidents were nominated. BJP parliamentary board unofficially nominated candidates. This time it was expected the party would act ‘differentally’, but Chauhan too was nominated from the top dashing hopes opf a contest for probables.
Names of some senior leaders like Faggan Singh Kulaste, Prahlad Patel, Maya Singh, Thawar Chand Gehlot and Kailash Vijayvargiya backed Krishna Murari Moghe and were among the aspirants. However, it was Vijayvargiya who broke the ice saying “all leaders support Nandu Bhaiyya,” a day before the nominations were to be filed.
“I had meetings with senior party leaders and I have conveyed what I felt. But, now I am with the party,’’ said former Union minister Faggan Singh Kulaste, who was a strong contender for the post. Union minister Thawar Chand Gehlot parried queries regarding election of state president. “I will not answer any tricky question. I am with the party and its decision,” he said in reply to a volley of questions asked by reporters. Same were the views of union minister Narendra Singh Tomar, who just said, “What is being done, is in the interest of the party.”
Congress party has a tradition of nominating presidents and even office-bearers in states.