NEW DELHI: Keeping in mind the upcoming assembly and General elections, the BJP revamped its organisation signalling a massive Pasmanda Muslim outreach, rewarding leaders with ground connect and giving a lion’s share in top brass to leaders from Uttar Pradesh, which sends the maximum MPs (80) to the Lok Sabha.
The party has 13 Vice- Presidents, nine General Secretaries and nine Secretaries, a majority of whom were reappointed. Among the new faces is former Aligarh Muslim University vicechancellor Tariq Mansoor. Mansoor, who is a BJP MLC in Uttar Pradesh, was appointed as a Vice-President, a move that is being seen as the party’s outreach towards Pashmanda Muslims.
Pasmanda Muslims are known to constitute over 80% of the national Muslim population. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been vocal about empowering the marginalised Muslims.
Congress stalwart AK Antony’s son Anil Antony, who recently joined the BJP, has been brought in as one of the new Secretaries of the party.
In another significant development, Gorakhpur leader Radha Mohan Agarwal was appointed as a General Secretary. Agarwal, who had represented Gorakhpur (Urban) seat since 2002 was asked to vacate his constituency for Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath in the last assembly polls.
He was later made a Rajya Sabha MP. He was also given the responsibility to oversee the state units of Kerala and Lakshadweep.
Among the General Secretaries dropped are Karnataka hardline leader CT Ravi, who recently lost his assembly seat in Chikkamagaluru and Dilip Saikia, an Assam MP. Reports indicated that they may be accommodated as contestants in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Radha Mohan Singh, former Union minister and Bihar MP, has also been dropped as one of the VicePresidents and is likely to play a major role during the 2024 polls in his home state.
