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Ahead of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Rajnath Singh announcing his team of office bearers of the party, it seems the young brigade of the party could get representation for top posts.
At this point, Rajnath Singh is struggling to break the news to at least two members of the national executive that they might not be elevated - former party president Nitin Gadkari has communicated to Singh that he would be deeply unhappy if senior leader Yashwant Sinha were to be given a party post. Sinha was one of the first persons in the party to have demanded Nitin Gadkari's resignation after the income tax department conducted surveys on the tax records of companies owned by one of Gadkari's investors. Hema Malini is also likely to be dropped from the executive.
In Rajnath Singh's scheme of things, Anurag Thakur, Member of Parliament from Hamirpur, who is also the president of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), should be inducted as the secretary in the new team of office bearers. Thakur is the son of former Himachal Pradesh chief minister PK Dhumal. However, a section in the party is of the view that the father-son duo was responsible for BJP's losses in Himachal Pradesh.
Former minister and MP from Bhagalpur, Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, is being considered for the post of general secretary of the party. Hussain is the spokesperson of the party, but if he is given a party post, the other (from Rajnath Singh's perspective, more crucially from UP) Muslim, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, will have to be given the go by. And, gaining traction for the party in UP is essential for the new chief.
Among others whose names are being considered by the BJP president are Varun Gandhi, MP from Pilibhit, and Smriti Irani, newly-elected Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat, who is being promoted by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. Both Gandhi and Irani are being considered for the post of general secretary.
Irani has already impressed Rajnath Singh and Modi by taking up issues related to women and the former television actor is already heading the Mahila Morcha of the party. her term ends this year. Strengthening her claim is the call from Ajay Sancheti, seeking her elevation. Sancheti is considered close to Gadkari.
The Gujarat chief minister is also backing Amit Shah, the former home minister of Gujarat who is facing criminal charges in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case. Though Shah is one of the frontrunners to become general secretary because of the support from Modi, the only glitch is the criminal case against him. Modi also has a second option in case Shah is unable to make it to the top post, the Gujarat chief minister is supporting Purushottam Ruapala, who is already a vice-president of the party.
"There is a list of around 60 people shortlisted for 40 posts that need to be filled by Rajnath Singh. There are 15 vice-president posts, 10 for general secretaries and 15 for secretaries," said a senior BJP leader who is in the know of development.
Some of the other BJP members who could become part of Rajnath Singh's team are Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Rajya Sabha MP and spokesperson of the party. While Rudy is tipped to become general secretary, another close aide of the BJP chief, Nishikant Dubey, is being considered for the post of secretary of the party.
Dubey, who used to be the officer on special duty (OSD) to firebrand leader Uma Bharati, was given his chance to contest the election from Godda in Jharkhand by Rajnath Singh during his earlier term as the BJP chief. Dubey is also part of the standing committee on finance.
