BL Santhosh replaces Ramlal in BJP as General Secretary (Organisation)

A day after Ramlal was shifted back to Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), BJP President Amit Shah on Sunday promoted BL Santhosh as National General Secretary (Organisation) of the party.

Santhosh, who has worked as "sangathan mantri" in BJP's Karnataka unit, was among four of the Joint General Secretaries (Organisation) of the party under Ramlal. Other three Joint General Secretaries are V Satish, Saudan Singh and Shiv Prakash.

Ramlal, the longest serving General Secretary (Organisation) in the BJP was on Saturday sent back to the RSS and appointed as its 'Akhil Bharatiya Sah Sampark Pramukh'.

The post of General Secretary (Organisation) in BJP is held by a "pracharak" deputed by the Rashtriya Swayamesvak Sangh who acts as a bridge between the two organisations.

"BJP President Amit Shah has appointed BL Santhosh as General Secretary (Organisation with immediate effect," the BJP said in a statement.

A chemical engineering graduate, Santhosh was looking after BJP affairs in south India. Known for his organisational skills, he adopts the latest communication technologies for increasing party's strength.

The initiative of getting volunteers from various professions to take a sabbatical and work for the party, prior to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, was said to be his brainchild.

Santhosh hails from Shivamogga in Karnataka and apparently has not the best of equations with party veteran BS Yeddyurappa. He played a key role in the backroom operations in the 2008 assembly polls when the BJP came to power in the state.

After Ramlal was sent back to RSS, Santhosh called him like a father figure and said the party will miss him.

"It was 12 years of learning with Ramlal from 2006 ..I was deputed to political field along with him ..Calm , composed , attention to details were his hallmark. He was a father figure to many like me.. Back to Sangh work.Wish you all the best ji ..We will miss you," Santhosh tweeted on Saturday.