Bajpai to declare his ‘small’ team in 15 days

Lucknow : After getting a second term as the state BJP president, Laxmikant Bajpai is ready to declare his team of nearly 100 members, unlike the jumbo team of former president Surya Pratap Shahi who had nominated more than 200 members in his team.

Bajpai is likely to declare the new team within next 15 days. The team is likely to have around two dozen office-bearers including vice-presidents, general secretaries, secretaries and treasurer. There will also be presidents of five wings, including women, youth, farmers, Scheduled Castes and minorities. There would be around 70 members in the state executive committee.

Bajpai told The Indian Express: “The new 105-member state team would be declared in 10 to 15 days.”

Bajpai has decided to have a smaller team in the line with the party’s constitution. “But that could be a tough task for him because a large number of party workers have been doing ‘parikrama’ of senior leaders in Delhi for the last few days, seeking recommendation for a place in the state team,” said a BJP leader.

“Former president Shahi had taken around 250 members in the team. We are expecting a smaller team where the selection of workers will be on merit only,” said a former party vice-president.

The last team was dissolved soon after Shahi resigned taking responsibility for the party’s poor performance in the Assembly polls in March.

Sources said that before announcing the team, Bajpai will have to take approval of BJP president Nitin Gadkari. Election of the new national president is also scheduled this month and that could take place before declaration of the Gujarat election results.