MESSAGE BOARD
NEWSLINKS
US EDITION
COLUMNISTS
DIARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
ELECTIONS
ARCHIVES

Bangaru Laxman front-runner as BJP chief

Minister of State for Railways Bangaru Laxman, a Dalit from Andhra Pradesh, Monday night emerged as the front-runner for the Bharatiya Janata Party presidentship, a day ahead of the start of the election process for the top party post Tuesday.

Sixty-year-old Laxman has been party vice president and president of the BJP SC-ST Morcha before he was inducted into the Union Council of Ministers.

With president Kushabhau Thakre opting not to seek a second term on health grounds, the consensus seems to be in favour of Laxman, who is likely to file his nomination papers in a day or two.

Seeking to expand the BJP's base among Dalit, backward and weaker sections as also to build the party's strength in south India, the party's top leadership appears to be favouring Laxman, a Rajya Sabha member from Gujarat.

The election process for a new BJP president begins Tuesday, with the new person to officially assume office on August 27 at the party's two-day national council meeting in Nagpur beginning that day.

A meeting of senior party leaders is expected in a couple of days to arrive at a consensus candidate for the post, party spokesman M Venkaiah Naidu told reporters.

The nominations will close on August 7, with scrutiny and withdrawals taking place on August 8 and voting, if necessary, on August 13 at state capitals.

The outgoing national executive will meet on August 26, Naidu said.

PTI

Tell us what you think of this report