Munde lobbies for Mahajan’s post, but RSS has other plans

With Pramod Mahajan no more, his brother-in-law Gopinath Munde, leader of the BJP in the Maharashtra Assembly, has pitched in for the party general secretary’s post to retain his hold over the state unit.

With Pramod Mahajan no more, his brother-in-law Gopinath Munde, leader of the BJP in the Maharashtra Assembly, has pitched in for the party general secretary’s post to retain his hold over the state unit.

Munde met BJP president Rajnath Singh yesterday with the request to be appointed a general secretary with the charge of Maharashtra, a profile that was Mahajan’s formerly.

While Singh is busy holding consultations with senior party leaders, the RSS lobby, according to sources, is averse to any new arrangement which would keep the Maharashtra BJP under his shadow. Its case is that Munde has shown no interest in central party work during his stint as national vice-president, and is better suited to a state position.

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The RSS lobby is instead pushing the candidature of party vice-president L Ganesan, a former pracharak who has been general secretary (organisation) of the Tamil Nadu BJP, for the slot. Their argument is that Ganesan’s appointment would strengthen the BJP in Tamil Nadu and widen the profile of leadership. This proposal poses a threat to former BJP president Venkaiah Naidu (Andhra Pradesh) and general secretary Ananth Kumar (Karnataka) because a third leader from south India would only undermine their role.

Munde’s chief ministerial ambitions are well known. He quickly staked his claim over the post of leader of opposition in the assembly after Narayan Rane split the Shiv Sena last year. The BJP high command had to work hard to pacify an angry Bal Thackeray. As long as Mahajan was alive, the Sena could overlook Munde’s actions, assuming that he would keep him under control. But the Sena’s distrust, coupled with the BJP’s keenness to keep all its NDA allies on board, is working to Munde’s disadvantage now.

Munde’s case aside, the BJP leadership is inclined to enlist Mahajan’s wife or son. Sources said the party would make an appropriate offer to them once it knows their mind.

–pradeep.kaushal@expressindia.com

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