Today's reshuffle has added some gloss to the Hindutva agenda of the Sangh Parivar that is being considered an important ingredient for electoral success. The party has added a new-look government and a revamped organisation to its appeal and this is likely to be followed up with a soft Budget. Also, it has virtually named its chief ministerial candidates for four poll-bound states in north India.The changes are clearly calculated to position the BJP for the coming assembly and Lok Sabha polls, keeping in mind the possibility of advancing the General Elections to January next year if the party does well in Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi and Rajasthan.By entrusting the major economic ministries to Jaswant Singh, Arun Shourie and Arun Jaitley, the BJP brass has also shown that it is conscious of the need to keep these ministries free of any scandal or controversy in a poll year.But behind the scenes, the exercise was not free of tension and tussles. Pramod Mahajan was reportedly offered Power by Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani but Mahajan — defending his performance — turned it down, opting for the party. The PM adopted an ambivalent posture and left the decision to the DyPM.Mahajan’s return to the organisation could prove to be a double-edged sword. While he is expected to infuse drive and energy into the set-up, he can make things difficult for party President Venkaiah Naidu. Having been senior to Naidu and with longer experience of working in the party, Mahajan could very quickly emerge as a rival power centre. ‘‘He does not need to be appointed as spokesperson — he will be playing that and other roles naturally,’’ remarked a senior party leader. Mahajan had been tipped as party president even when Naidu took over as BJP chief. Though both leaders are saying the right things for the record, Naidu, party sources said, is not very happy at the development. He had, in fact, indicated yesterday that he was happy with status quo i.e Jaitley in the party.Seeing how victory in Gujarat had given Arun Jaitley a high profile and support of the Sangh Parivar and how this pitchforked him back to the government with more on his plate, Mahajan decided to turn an adverse situation to his advantage.Sushma Swaraj was reportedly offered Mahajan’s ministries at one stage but she turned it down, sources said, because she did not want to be seen to be ousting him.The BJP has clearly scored in declaring its chief ministerial candidates for the 2003 poll-going states and freeing these leaders from other responsibilities. The resignation of Vasundhara Raje Scindia from the Union Ministry was a foregone conclusion. As Rajasthan BJP chief, she is tipped to be Chief Minister in the event of a BJP victory.In Chhattisgarh, too, the situation is clear. Raman Singh, who quit the Ministry, will now only be the BJP chief. But it is Dalip Singh Judeo — who has been actively opposing conversions among tribals — who will be projected as the BJP’s chief ministerial candidate in Chhattisgarh. His induction is is calculated to build his profile, and the relatively light portfolio of environment and forests that he has been given will enable him to concentrate on his state.It is Uma Bharati whose position is tricky. First, she will only head the campaign committee of the party since Kailash Joshi has already been appointed party chief in Madhya Pradesh and is close to the Prime Minister. Besides, her entry into state politics has not been greeted with enthusiasm by the local leaders and she has to contend with a Congress veteran like Digvijay Singh who is no pushover. But she was persuaded by Advani to put in her papers and move to the state.
