Mumbai: BJP on Saturday appointed Ravindra Chavan, former minister and party legislator from Dombivli Assembly constituency, as the working president of the Maharashtra unit.
Chavan, who was appointed in December last year as the Sangathan Parv campaign in-charge aimed at expanding the party’s membership drive in the state, will take over at a time when the BJP is gearing up for the upcoming local and civic body elections especially after the MahaYuti’s landslide victory in the Assembly election.
BJP President JP Nadda appointed Ravindra Chavan as the working president ahead of the state BIP’s meet at Shirdi on Sunday to celebrate its stellar performance in the Assembly election and discuss the roadmap for the upcoming local and civic body elections.
By appointing Chavan as the working president, the BJP has indicated that the incumbent state unit Chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule, who is the revenue minister, will remain on the post until the upcoming local and civic body elections. Bawankule led the party during the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.
Chavan, who was the public work minister during the Eknath Shinde-led council of ministers, was denied ministerial berth in the Devendra Fadnavis-led cabinet which was expanded on December 15. It was party’s calculated move to hand over the responsibility of the organisation to Chavan to use his expertise to further consolidate party’s strength in the state.
Chavan is a close confidant of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his poll management tactics helped BJP win the Ratnagiri Sindudurg seat during the Lok Sabha elections and later bag majority of seats by the party from the Konkan region which earlier used to be the stronghold of the united Shiv Sena.
Chavan’s appointment comes when the BJP aims to enroll 1.5 crore people to the party through member registration in Maharashtra. The Mahila Morcha and Yuva Morcha are targeting registration of 25 lakh members each across the state. Other fronts of the party have to register 5 lakh members each, while party cells have the responsibility of registering at least two lakh members.
The enrolment of more and more people as party members is part of BJP’s move to form government on its on in 2029 in Maharashtra. The party is in the midst of firming up a strategy for Shat Pratishat (winning majority and forming government on its own without the support of allies).
IANS
