BJP community leaders among 4 appointed as NDMC members

Among the remaining three, only one – Dinesh Pratap Singh, former president of Delhi BJP’s Purvanchal Morcha – among the eight leaders recommended by Delhi BJP was chosen by the Ministry of Home Affairs for three posts of non-official members. The other two members nominated to NDMC were Sarita Tomar and Anil Valmiki.

“I am grateful to the senior leadership of the party – particularly Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda – for the responsibility. I aim to fulfill the PM’s dream of a Viksit Bharat and to make NDMC not just the best civic body in India, but the world,” Chahal told The Indian Express.

Chahal, also the convener of the NaMo app, had started his political career with the ABVP – RSS’s student wing – during his stint in Delhi University’s student politics starting 1996. He then became Delhi BJP district president from Mayur Vihar and later served in multiple positions within the city BJP unit, including general secretary and state secretary, among others.

During his tenure in the NDMC, he often locked horns with former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and was extremely vocal in accusing him of not being regular at meetings of the Council.

Singh, a state vice-president of Delhi BJP, is known for his significant influence within the Purvanchali community. “He has a deep understanding of the BJP sangathan and has played a crucial role in increasing Purvanchali membership. He was the backbone during (MP) Manoj Tiwari’s first election campaign in northeast Delhi,” a party leader said.

Sarita Tomar, the sole woman to be nominated as a member, is a general secretary of Delhi BJP’s Mahila Morcha. According to party sources, she has risen up the ranks of the party’s organisation through her work at the municipal level.

Anil Valmiki, who party sources identified as a local social worker from Gole Market, is associated with the prominent Harijan Basti’s Prachin Bhagwan Valmiki Mandir in central Delhi.

“The party has maintained an equitable approach in regards to the appointments – which have been made from prominent communities such as the Jat, Purvanchali and Valmikis – to underline its political priorities related to representation in the run-up to the Delhi elections,” a senior BJP leader said.

“As for the rest who have not been repeated, the message is clear: they need to throw their weight behind the party’s bid to come back to power in the Capital after a gap of close to three decades,” the leader added.