GenNext takes charge in state BJP

Leader of opposition in the state council Vinod Tawde said,“It is Team 2020. The changes in the organisation show the party is preparing a team that will stay till 2020. All six general secretaries will have long innings.”

The new faces are Sujitsinh Thakur (Dharashiv),Jaykumar Rawal (Dhule),Sambhaji Patil Nilangekar (Latur),Ranjit Patil (Akola),Ram Shinde (Ahmednagar) and Sanjay (Bala) Bhegde (Pune).

In a departure from the past,the post of treasurer went to a woman — Shaina N C.

There were murmurs of deputy leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Gopinath Munde getting an upper hand in deciding the team and associates of former national BJP president Nitin Gadkari getting a secondary treatment.

The appointment of Pankaja Palve,daughter of Munde,to head the youth wing of the party was being debated in hushed tones.

Munde supporters,however,justified the appointment,“It was a decision to send a strong message to women who comprise 50 per cent of the electorate in the state.”

Pankaja,an MLA from Beed district,is being seen as a counter to Surpriya Sule of NCP and MLA Praniti Shinde and minister for women and child welfare Varsha Gaikwad of Congress who have been pulling women to their parties.

The Munde camp said,“The decision to promote the controversial Chainsukh Sancheti as vice-president shows Gadkari was not completely sidelined.”

Sancheti is a close aide of Gadkari.

All six general secretaries were chosen by Fadnavis and the vice-presidents and secretaries equally represent the Munde and Gadkari camps.

Fadnavis rubbished the charge of nepotism and factionalism. “The team is a collective decision taken after consultations with all top leaders. The thrust was to promote generation next. Youth and women have been given due representation.

“Of the 11 crore people in the state,almost 7 crore are below 40.”

The new vice-presidents are: Chainsukh Sancheti (Buldhana),Subhash Deshmukh (Solapur),Chandrakant Patil (Kolhapur),Raosaheb Danve (Jalna),Girish Mahajan (Jalgaon),Prakash Shendge (Sangli),Mangal Prabhat Lodha (Mumbai),Ramdas Tadas (Wardha),Prakash Mehta (Mumbai),Manisha Chowdhury (Mumbai),Jaiprakash Thakur (Mumbai),Suresh Khade (Sangli),Neeta Kelkar (Sangli) and Govind Kendre (Latur).