Process to elect new Surat BJP chief begins today

Surat: A team of three senior members of state BJP will visit Surat to get a sense of local leadership from among 26 local leaders including 12 MLAs and three MPs, for the appointment of a new city BJP president. All party office bearers and SMC office bearers have been asked to attend the meeting.

During the day other local units leaders of South Gujarat too have been called for their respective towns and district posts.

The three member committee includes present state ministers Kaushik Patel, Ganpat Vasava and state unit secretary and Surat in-charge Bharatsinh Parmar.

This senior team of observers will visit the city for the first time for the specific purpose and then discuss with other party office bearers and leaders for a final decision which will be taken before December 1.

Groupism in Surat city BJP unit can be gauged by the number of names that are being discussed for a single post, which also includes the present president Nitin Bhajiyawala.

“The tenure of present president has been non-controversial and he has started a few new trends. If the party high command would want to retain such a peaceful atmosphere for another three years, repetition is the best option,” a local MLA said on condition of anonymity.

Another sitting MLA opined that it is time for a man from Varachha area to get the president’s post. “Don’t be surprised if past MLAs like Janak Bagdanawala or Praful Panseriya also jump in the fray,” he added.

Names like those of former mayor and OBC representative, Niranjan Janjmera, who has held number of plum posts in the state BJP unit, is also making the rounds.

A group of BJP workers from old Surat talk in favour of former MLA Ajay Choksi, former standing chairmen like Rajesh Desai and Mukesh Dalal, and Nirav Shah, who is also a deputy mayor at present, as well as the present general secretary of city BJP unit, Madansinh Atodariya.

It is also perceived that opinion of two MPs, CR Paatil of Navsari and Darshana Jardosh of Surat, will bear a lot of importance on choosing the right candidate.

Present president Bhajiyawala told TOI that he is ready to work in whatever capacity the party would want him to. “I have no issues with anything. Let the party leadership decide,” he added.