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BJP asks eight state chiefs to step down

In a bid to infuse young blood at the state level ahead of its 20th anniversary, the Bharatiya Janata Party high command has directed eight of its state unit presidents to step down.

The BJP turns 20 on April 6.

Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are among the states where the change will take place.

The party has also decided to complete its organisational elections up to the state level as soon as possible so that the new electoral college is ready by the end of April and a new president can be elected in May.

The party has made a policy decision to give younger people more responsibility.

One of the state chiefs, the Orissa unit president, is being rehabilitated as a Rajya Sabha member.

In the just-concluded assembly elections, the party's performance in Orissa was not up to the mark and that was one reason why it had to forego its claim to the deputy chief minister's post.

All state unit presidents have been summoned to New Delhi on Saturday to discuss the progress of organisational elections, enrolment of members and finalisation of the schedule for presidential elections.

At the last national executive of the party in Madras, the general consensus was that the next party president should be from the South.

Jana Krishnamurthy, who is currently a senior vice-president, is tipped to take over from Kushabhau Thakre.

Thakre, who is keeping indifferent health, has gone on record saying that he would not seek a second term in office.

The national council of the BJP, where the successor to Thakre will take over, is most likely to be held at Ranchi.

UNI

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