In Maharashtra, BJP's Rudy hopes to shepherd party of factions to polls

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, recently appointed the incharge ('Prabhari') of Maharashtra, said the BJP's performance in the state would be crucial.

"My role will be of a facilitator to improve the performance, as Maharashtra, with 48 Lok Sabha seats, is quite crucial. There is a well-established leadership, including Nitin Gadkari and Gopinath Munde. The party recently appointed young Devendra Phadanvis as state party chief," Rudy, travelling in Dharamsala, told Business Standard.

"The people of Maharashtra want change and, therefore, I would make all-out efforts so that the party makes big gains in the coming Lok Sabha elections and, thereafter, in the state assembly polls."

A tough task lies ahead for Rudy, as the party in Maharashtra is riddled with factions. Rudy's appointment comes at a time when the party is struggling to appoint a new chief for its Mumbai unit, following severe differences among factions led by the former national president, Nitin Gadkari, the deputy leader in the Lok Sabha, Gopinath Munde, and some leaders claiming the support of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

The BJP won nine seats in Maharashtra in the 2009 parliamentary elections. Though the party wants to continue its over-two-decade alliance with the Shiv Sena, it is also keen to rope in the Raj Thackeray- led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena to forge a "Maha Yuti" (grand alliance) to take on Congress-Nationalist Congress Party. Rudy, well versed with alliance politics in his home state of Bihar with the JD (U), will have to use his skills and experience.

He is expected to visit Mumbai in the first week of June.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra BJP leaders have welcomed Rudy's appointment.

"Rudy has a clean image and has been in national politics. He won't encourage groupism and would instead take all factions together in an impartial manner," said former Union minister and RSS leader Jaywantiben Mehta.

Vinod Tawde, leader of opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council said Rudy was a young and dynamic leader and would be a catalyst in taking the party to new heights.

Raj Purohit, BJP's Mumbai unit president hoped that the party's prospects would be further brightened under Rudy's leadership. "Rudy is a fighter and he has skills to take party members together," he noted.