BJP state panel meet on Sunday; bid for consensus on party chief

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Follow us:WhatsappFacebookTwitterTelegram.cls-1{fill:#4d4d4d;}.cls-2{fill:#fff;}Google NewsThe crucial state committee meeting of the BJP will be held in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday even as efforts are going on to evolve a consensus on the election of the state party president.National secretary P Muralidhar Rao will inaugurate the meeting at Bhagyamala auditorium in the Chandrasekharan Nair stadium here.According to the official leadership, the meeting will focus on organisational issues like membership campaign and other party programmes.But the meeting is expected to witness heightened passions over the issue of party president’s election.While the faction supportive of the State president V Muralidharan is confident of retaining his post for another term thanks to the Central leadership’s confidence in him, the other faction is planning a strong campaign for giving a chance to State general secretary A N Radhakrishnan as president.Meanwhile, the supporters of both camps have started planting stories serving their own interests in local dailies adding to the confusion in the rank and file of the party.BJP national executive member P S Sreedharan Pillai told Express that what had appeared in the media about the state president’s election was not right.“It appears that most of the reports which appeared in the media are being planted selectively by vested interests. BJP’s style is to decide on the State president through consensus. If the efforts to arrive at an unanimous decision fail, then other measures may be considered’’ he said.Speaking to Express, another senior leader who did not want to be identified, said there was no question of imposing any person from the top.“If the incumbent president wants to continue, he may be allowed to continue. But if others have plans to contest, a suitable decision would be taken at the initiative of the central leadership” he said. However, he said whatever be the situation, a decision on the president’s election would be taken only after consulting the senior leaders in the state, he said.Unlike last time, the RSS leadership is keeping its fingers crossed over the issue. However, national secretary in charge of organisation Ramlal who arrived in Kochi on Saturday held talks with the RSS state leadership over the BJP state president’s election.Meanwhile, former state president P K Krishnadas and national executive member M T Ramesh are raising the pitch in support of A N Radhakrishnan’s claim for the president’s post.The official faction is planning to catch Krishnadas and Ramesh on the wrong foot by raising allegations against them.In the state leadership meeting held last month, Krishnadas was alleged of holding talks with Home Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan when the party was engaged in a do-or-die battle in the Neyyattinkara by- election.Veteran leader O Rajagopal who was the candidate at Neyyattinkara is also learnt to have raised the complaint that M T Ramesh was not active in the by-election campaign.With the national executive members P S Sreedharan Pillai and C K Padmanabhan continuing to show little enthusiasm to join any of the camps, as both of them have already been given sufficient recognition by the party, it is unlikely that the difference of opinion over the state president’s election will spill over and evolve into a full-fledged factional feud.first published:August 12, 2012, 12:09 ISTlast updated:August 12, 2012, 12:09 IST
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The crucial state committee meeting of the BJP will be held in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday even as efforts are going on to evolve a consensus on the election of the state party president.

National secretary P Muralidhar Rao will inaugurate the meeting at Bhagyamala auditorium in the Chandrasekharan Nair stadium here.

According to the official leadership, the meeting will focus on organisational issues like membership campaign and other party programmes.

But the meeting is expected to witness heightened passions over the issue of party president’s election.

While the faction supportive of the State president V Muralidharan is confident of retaining his post for another term thanks to the Central leadership’s confidence in him, the other faction is planning a strong campaign for giving a chance to State general secretary A N Radhakrishnan as president.

Meanwhile, the supporters of both camps have started planting stories serving their own interests in local dailies adding to the confusion in the rank and file of the party.

BJP national executive member P S Sreedharan Pillai told Express that what had appeared in the media about the state president’s election was not right.

“It appears that most of the reports which appeared in the media are being planted selectively by vested interests. BJP’s style is to decide on the State president through consensus. If the efforts to arrive at an unanimous decision fail, then other measures may be considered’’ he said.

Speaking to Express, another senior leader who did not want to be identified, said there was no question of imposing any person from the top.

“If the incumbent president wants to continue, he may be allowed to continue. But if others have plans to contest, a suitable decision would be taken at the initiative of the central leadership” he said. However, he said whatever be the situation, a decision on the president’s election would be taken only after consulting the senior leaders in the state, he said.

Unlike last time, the RSS leadership is keeping its fingers crossed over the issue. However, national secretary in charge of organisation Ramlal who arrived in Kochi on Saturday held talks with the RSS state leadership over the BJP state president’s election.

Meanwhile, former state president P K Krishnadas and national executive member M T Ramesh are raising the pitch in support of A N Radhakrishnan’s claim for the president’s post.

The official faction is planning to catch Krishnadas and Ramesh on the wrong foot by raising allegations against them.

In the state leadership meeting held last month, Krishnadas was alleged of holding talks with Home Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan when the party was engaged in a do-or-die battle in the Neyyattinkara by- election.

Veteran leader O Rajagopal who was the candidate at Neyyattinkara is also learnt to have raised the complaint that M T Ramesh was not active in the by-election campaign.

With the national executive members P S Sreedharan Pillai and C K Padmanabhan continuing to show little enthusiasm to join any of the camps, as both of them have already been given sufficient recognition by the party, it is unlikely that the difference of opinion over the state president’s election will spill over and evolve into a full-fledged factional feud.