Even as hectic lobbying is on within the Bharatiya Janata Party to become state in-charges, none of the BJP leaders vying for the posts is interested in becoming in-charge of Mr Narendra Modi’s Gujarat.
Sources in the party disclosed while most of the senior leaders are eyeing for the post, particularly in a BJP-ruled state, there is no one willing to be appointed as Gujarat’s in-charge.
While the post is considered coveted in the BJP circle as the leader is the central leadership’s nominee in the state unit, and therefore considered at par with the chief minister, BJP chief Nitin Gadkari is finding it hard to even find a volunteer for Mr Modi’s state.
Sources disclosed the main reason behind this is that in Gujarat, it is Mr Modi who has the last word in all matters.
“Volunteering for this post in Gujarat is like going for a suicide mission. If you are appointed as Gujarat in-charge, you simply remain a figurehead. You can’t take any party related decision or even on any other issue. Modi calls the shot. He is the first and last authority in Gujarat, so why would anybody be interested in going there?” said a senior party functionary.
Meanwhile, Mr Gadkari, who hasn’t appointed any state in-charge so far, except in Bihar, is likely to announce state in-charges by the end of this week. Sources said a majority section within the party is not happy with Mr Ananth Kumar being appointed as Bihar in-charge by Mr Gadkari. Despite various rounds of meeting with senior party leaders, Mr Gadkari could not take a decision on the issue so far.
The issue of state in-charges was recently taken up during the meeting between the RSS top leadership and senior BJP leaders, including Mr Gadkari.
The BJP chief was told by the RSS that he should not keep pending the issue of appointing state in-charges.