BJP overlooks central norms for mandal poll

Almost all mandal presidents elected in Solan district on December 17 do not meet the age criteria as per directions issued by the central BJP for the organisational poll.

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As per the directions issued on November 22 by the central BJP, mandal presidents are supposed to be less than 45 years of age. As many as 13 mandal presidents were elected in Solan district and few among them are aged 55 years or more. The 13 mandals comprise Arki, Darla, Jainagar, Nalagarh (rural and urban), Ramshehar, Patta, Doon, Kandaghat, Solan (rural and urban), Dharampur and Kasauli.

As per BJP norms accessed by The Tribune, an elected mandal president is supposed to be an office-bearer of the party’s frontal organisation or a district-level office-bearer of the party.

Favourites have been accommodated as mandal presidents to suit the political machinations of senior leaders, quite unmindful of the criteria fixed by the central BJP.

Peeved by this pick and choose, a section of party functionaries reported the matter to senior leaders in Delhi. This has put on hold the election to the district presidents across the state. These elections were supposed to be concluded between December 16 and 30.

Instead of electing leaders having mass acceptance, the local BJP has learnt no lessons and favourites were being given plum posts by senior leaders merely to attain an upper hand in the party organisation.

The Opposition BJP had lost all five Vidhan Sabha seats in Solan and its candidate from Arki not only lost his security deposit, but also came at third place. Victory eluded the BJP in the recent Nalagarh byelection also and the party organisation appears to be going through its worst patch.

The candidate who had lost two successive Vidhan Sabha polls from Arki was heading the district for the past two years while another leader who failed to get a lead even from his ward in the Municipal Corporation election at Solan was its Lok Sabha in-charge for Shimla earlier. He is now a state executive member.