Jaipur: The induction of former BJP state president Satish Poonia and Rajya Sabha member Kirori Lal Meena into the party’s national working committee is seen as a move to strike a regional and caste balance in poll-bound Rajasthan.
BJP inducted ten members in its national working committee, including these two leaders from the state, on Saturday. Many in BJP believe the latest move marks the beginning of the two leaders’ roles in national politics.
Poonia’s tenure of three years and a half as BJP state president had started months before the Covid-19 pandemic surfaced. A first-time MLA, whose appointment had surprised many in the party, made a mark by delivering on the ground.
“By constantly covering the biggest state across its length and breadth, Poonia had his stature elevated from an MLA to a state leader. His strong popularity in the Jat community, which is the biggest and one of the most influential in the state, served to his advantage,” said a BJP leader.
After being replaced by the two-time MP from Chittorgarh, CP Joshi, in March, Poonia was given the post of deputy leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly. “While it was seen as a demotion for Poonia, his public appearances are seen drawing bigger crowds than the party’s state president. He was given the charge of organising celebrations of PM Modi’s nine years in office in four Lok Sabha constituencies in UP – Amroha, Sambhal, Moradabad and Mainpuri. This put him further in the limelight,” said a BJP leader.
Meena is known for raising issues related to the youth in the last two years, which have made him a popular figure. Considering his grip on the issues, the state BJP recently started providing him its official platform. The latest move is seen as an extension of that step.
“Meena used to hold pressers at private places as BJP showed no interest in him. But things started changing and the party embraced him for his efforts to expose corruption,” said a BJP leader.
BJP inducted ten members in its national working committee, including these two leaders from the state, on Saturday. Many in BJP believe the latest move marks the beginning of the two leaders’ roles in national politics.
Poonia’s tenure of three years and a half as BJP state president had started months before the Covid-19 pandemic surfaced. A first-time MLA, whose appointment had surprised many in the party, made a mark by delivering on the ground.
“By constantly covering the biggest state across its length and breadth, Poonia had his stature elevated from an MLA to a state leader. His strong popularity in the Jat community, which is the biggest and one of the most influential in the state, served to his advantage,” said a BJP leader.
After being replaced by the two-time MP from Chittorgarh, CP Joshi, in March, Poonia was given the post of deputy leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly. “While it was seen as a demotion for Poonia, his public appearances are seen drawing bigger crowds than the party’s state president. He was given the charge of organising celebrations of PM Modi’s nine years in office in four Lok Sabha constituencies in UP – Amroha, Sambhal, Moradabad and Mainpuri. This put him further in the limelight,” said a BJP leader.
Meena is known for raising issues related to the youth in the last two years, which have made him a popular figure. Considering his grip on the issues, the state BJP recently started providing him its official platform. The latest move is seen as an extension of that step.
“Meena used to hold pressers at private places as BJP showed no interest in him. But things started changing and the party embraced him for his efforts to expose corruption,” said a BJP leader.
