By Express News Service
NEW DELHI: Even as the BJP is yet to pick its candidate for the Presidential polls scheduled next month, the party has constituted a 14-member ‘management team’ for coordinating with all its state units and allies ahead of the crucial exercise.
Union Minister Gajendra Shekhawat has been appointed as convener of the panel. According to BJP functionaries, the team will coordinate with all state units of the BJP and its allies for the Presidential election and is also expected to guide the party’s elected representatives on the voting process.
BJP general secretaries Vinod Tawde and CT Ravi are the co-conveners of the team. Tarun Chugh, who is also a general secretary, is also part of the team, according to a notice issued by the party on Friday.Union ministers G Kishan Reddy, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Sarbananda Sonowal, Arjun Meghwal and Bharati Pawar have been included in the management team as members.
The other members are BJP’s national vice-president D K Aruna, national secretary Rituraj Sinha, national president of women’s wing Vanati Srinivasan, national spokesperson Sambit Patra and Assam unit vice-president Rajdeep Roy.
Earlier, the saffron party had authorised its president JP Nadda and Union minister Rajnath Singh to consult with other political parties, including those in the opposition, for building a consensus on a Presidential candidate. Both Nadda and Singh have already reached out to several leaders including Sharad Pawar, Mamata Banerjee, Nitish Kumar, Naveen Patnaik, Farooq Abdullah and others. With numbers on its side, the BJP-led NDA is confident of ensuring the victory of its candidate.
Will guide legislators
According to the functionaries of the saffron camp, the management team will coordinate with all state units of the party and its allies for the Presidential election and is also expected to guide the party’s elected representatives on the voting process.
Oppn to meet on June 21
Opposition parties have already started parleys to field a common Opposition candidate for the coveted post. While Mamata Banerjee had proposed the name of Sharad Pawar the latter has politely declined the offer. The parties are now expected to meet on June 21 to decide a name.
