Sushil Kumar Modi’s revived attempts to have himself projected as the Bharatiya Janata Party’s chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar have reignited the leadership debate in the party’s state unit.
A letter written by Bihar BJP president Mangal Pandey to the central leadership suggesting Modi be made the party’s chief ministerial face has not gone down well with the former deputy chief minister’s rivals. Many of these leaders have, in response, sent their own messages to the central leadership, insisting that the BJP must go to polls under collective leadership.
The BJP leaders belonging to two powerful caste groups – Yadav and Bhumihar – are, in particular, feeling outraged by the manner in which the Bihar unit chief has been attempting to have Sushil Modi declared as the chief ministerial candidate, party officials say.
Sushil Modi’s detractors claim that Pandey’s letter was sent to the Centre without consulting senior leaders of the state unit.
“I have no idea about the letter," the BJP legislator and senior party leader in Bihar, Rameshwar Chaurasia, said over phone. "I was not consulted before it was sent to the central leadership. Leaders should set aside their personal ambitions and work for the party.”
Collective leadership
Until recently, the issue of leadership seemed to have been settled, with the top brass of the BJP appearing almost decided against announcing a chief ministerial candidate and to go to polls under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The move not to project anyone as the party's face is said to have been aimed partly at keeping the state's highly caste-divided society in suspense, each hoping that a member of their community stands a chance at bagging the top job. The strategy is also an attempt to stay above of the wranglings of the various factions in the BJP's strife-torn state unit.
Sushil Modi, the man who likes to be called “SuMo”, taking a cue from how “NaMo” became the preferred form of address for Narendra Modi, was seen as an obvious candidate of the BJP until about a year ago. But now, any mention of his name as the probable leader of the party evokes a flurry of adverse reactions.
Many veterans of the state BJP, including the leader of Opposition in the state assembly Nand Kishore Yadav and former Union minister CP Thakur (the party’s Bhumihar face), feel that the party should give them a chance at leadership.
A letter written by Bihar BJP president Mangal Pandey to the central leadership suggesting Modi be made the party’s chief ministerial face has not gone down well with the former deputy chief minister’s rivals. Many of these leaders have, in response, sent their own messages to the central leadership, insisting that the BJP must go to polls under collective leadership.
The BJP leaders belonging to two powerful caste groups – Yadav and Bhumihar – are, in particular, feeling outraged by the manner in which the Bihar unit chief has been attempting to have Sushil Modi declared as the chief ministerial candidate, party officials say.
Sushil Modi’s detractors claim that Pandey’s letter was sent to the Centre without consulting senior leaders of the state unit.
“I have no idea about the letter," the BJP legislator and senior party leader in Bihar, Rameshwar Chaurasia, said over phone. "I was not consulted before it was sent to the central leadership. Leaders should set aside their personal ambitions and work for the party.”
Collective leadership
Until recently, the issue of leadership seemed to have been settled, with the top brass of the BJP appearing almost decided against announcing a chief ministerial candidate and to go to polls under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The move not to project anyone as the party's face is said to have been aimed partly at keeping the state's highly caste-divided society in suspense, each hoping that a member of their community stands a chance at bagging the top job. The strategy is also an attempt to stay above of the wranglings of the various factions in the BJP's strife-torn state unit.
Sushil Modi, the man who likes to be called “SuMo”, taking a cue from how “NaMo” became the preferred form of address for Narendra Modi, was seen as an obvious candidate of the BJP until about a year ago. But now, any mention of his name as the probable leader of the party evokes a flurry of adverse reactions.
Many veterans of the state BJP, including the leader of Opposition in the state assembly Nand Kishore Yadav and former Union minister CP Thakur (the party’s Bhumihar face), feel that the party should give them a chance at leadership.
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