BJP in for new coat of saffron on top

NEW DELHI, May 7: The old guard will make way for the new when BJP President Khushabhau Thakre announces his new team of office bearers. The...

NEW DELHI, May 7: The old guard will make way for the new when BJP President Khushabhau Thakre announces his new team of office bearers. The announcement expected on May 11 would induct younger, third-rung leaders into key positions in the party set-up, say party sources.

A majority of the BJP8217;s senior leaders are now in the government or holding constitutional positions. And this is seen as an opportunity both for a major revamp and a chance to groom a fresh crop of leaders. Thakre had a breakfast meeting with Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today to discuss the new organisational set-up. He will also consult his predecessor, Home Minister L K Advani, before finalising his team.

Among the five general secretaries 8211; the core of the organisation 8211; K N Govindacharya is expected to be elevated to the powerful position of general secretary organisation 8211; the post held by Thakre before he became party chief. M Venkaiah Naidu will continue as general secretary. Narendra Modi who was national secretary inAdvani8217;s team is likely to be promoted to the general secretaries team in recognition of his successes in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. Sangh Priya Gautam and Sumitra Mahajan are also expected to be made general secretaries. In the previous set-up, Sushma Swaraj, Pramod Mahajan and Thakre were general secretaries.

Several names are being considered for the seven posts of vice-president.In place of S S Bhandari and Suraj Bhan both Governors now and Madan Lal Khurana now Union Minister, Thakre is said to be debating between appointing Vishnu Kant Shastri, Ashwini Kumar, Karia Munda, Shanta Kumar, Sunderlal Patwa, Balram Kashyap, Mridula Sinha and Jaywantiben Mehta.

Sources said that Thakre is likely to keep charge of Uttar Pradesh affairs while the responsibility of other states would be distributed among general secretaries and vice-presidents. Given the tumultuous state of the BJP8217;s faction-ridden UP unit, it is hoped that Thakre8217;s authority will help restore some order.