Joshi, Chugh to supervise election
Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Nov 2: Stage is set for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to elect the Leader of its Legislature Party (LoP) and deputy leader at Srinagar tomorrow.
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All the 28 party MLAs of Jammu region have reached Srinagar from here today to take part in the first ever meeting of BJP’s Legislature Party which will be held in party office at Jawahar Nagar tomorrow at 11 am sharp.
According to party sources, the Leader of Legislature Party will be elected through consensus in the meeting of MLAs under the supervision of two Central observers including Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi and BJP national general secretary and party in charge for J&K and Ladakh UTs Tarun Chugh. Both Joshi and Chugh were recently appointed by party high command to supervise the election of Legislature Party Leader and deputy leader in J&K.
The election of Legislature Party Leader was necessitated as recently constituted UT Assembly is going to convene its brief maiden session at Srinagar from November 4 to 8.
Sources said besides, Joshi and Chugh some senior party leaders including BJP election incharge J&K Ram Madhav and party co incharge J&K, Ashish Sood may also participate in the meeting.
Sources said in addition to the 28 party MLAs some senior leaders including party president, JK UT, Ravinder Raina, its working president, Sat Sharma, MP Rajya Sabha (RS) Ghulam Ali Khatana and other leaders have reached Srinagar to participate in Legislators meeting tomorrow. While MP Lok Sabha, Jugal Kishore Sharma, former Deputy CMs, Kavinder Gupta and Dr Nirmal Singh are likely to reach Srinagar early tomorrow morning to take part in the meeting.
BJP general secretary (Org), Ashok Koul who is preoccupied with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) meet at Gwalior (MP) however, can’t take part in the meeting, sources said.
Sources said for the post of Legislative Party Leader, the names of former Ministers and two time MLAs Sunil Sharma and Dr D K Manyal are making rounds. Earlier the party senior leader and MLA Nagrota Devender Singh Rana who passed away two days back at Faridabad UP was front runner for the post of Legislative Party Leader, they added.
Sources said for the post of deputy leader, the names of BJP national secretary, and MLA Jammu-South, Dr Narinder Singh and MLA Jasrota (Kathua) Rajiv Jasrotia are making rounds.
Sources said the names of MLA Udhampur, East, R S Pathania and MLA Udhampur West and former Minister, Pawan Gupta are making rounds for posts of deputy leader also.
Sources said the party may also elect the chief whip during tomorrow’s meeting and one of the MLAs who could not find the place for the post of LoP or deputy leader will be appointed as chief whip of the party in the meeting through consensus.
Meanwhile, party working president, Sat Sharma told Excelsior that election of LoP and deputy leader in BJP is being done in a democratic manner by the Legislators and no name is being thrust on them. He said all 28 MLAs have reached Srinagar and the leader of Legislative Party, its deputy leader and chief whip will be elected by MLAs in the meeting under the supervision of two national observers and other senior party leaders who may reach Srinagar from New Delhi tomorrow.
Sat reiterated that BJP will perform a role of constructive and healthy opposition in the House and act as a watch dog of rights of the people of both regions of the UT. “As the party has a massive mandate from Jammu region we will ensure that no discrimination should be meted out to this region which was subjected to total discrimination by previous Governments,” he added.
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