To make presence felt,Sanjay Joshi visits Lucknow

Sources said Joshi has been given charge of UP to ensure coordination between the RSS and the BJP organisation at the ground level in the run-up to the elections. He is also expected to check internal rivalries in the party.

A party leader said RSS bosses were unhappy with reports that rival camps were emerging within the party organisation down to district level.

“Varun Gandhi and Santosh Gangwar have their separate camps in Bareilly region. Kesharinath Tripathi and Murli Manohar Joshi run their camps in Allahabad region. Gorakhpur region has rival camps of Surya Pratap Shahi and Yogi Adityanath. In Ayodhya,Vinay Katiyar and Lallu Singh camps are rivals. In Lucknow,it is Lalji Tandon and Jaipal Singh,’’ the party leader said.

Since Joshi is close to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and BJP president Nitin Gadkari,it is hoped that he can enforce a certain degree of discipline and curb rivalries,the leader said.

Joshi’s presence is also expected to help former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Uma Bharti,who has been entrusted with the task of strengthening the BJP in UP,but who has to contend with a local leadership not very enthusiastic about her.

He has been asked to assist BJP national general secretary Narendra Singh Tomar,who is in charge of UP.

Apart from Joshi,other national leaders in the team of Narendra Singh Tomar include Saudan Singh,Radha Mohan Singh and Karuna Shukla.

Former UP chief minister and the party’s former national president Rajnath Singh has been asked to oversee the election preparations.

Asked about Joshi’s role,state BJP president Surya Pratap Shahi said he is an asset for the BJP.