BJP State prez to be appointed before National prez election

-- Advani, Gadkari assure State leaders

BHUBANESWAR: State chief of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would be appointed before the national president election, said the national leaders of the party to the State BJP leaders in New Delhi on Saturday. To elect the State chief, final decision would be taken very soon, sources said.

The State leaders on Saturday met senior leader Lal Krishna Advani and national president Nitin Gadkari to discuss on the matter. The senior leaders assured them that the State chief would be appointed through mutual understanding. “We hope, we can settle the problem within two or three days after discussing with the national leaders,” said State BJP general secretary Prithviraj Harichandan.

Notably, as many as 46 BJP members, including some office bearers, the State returning officer and district presidents had left for Delhi from January 16 to raise the voice against the dithering attitude of the Central leadership to fix a date for the State president election. They met returning officer for the internal elections Thwarchand Gehlot, senior leaders Rajnath Singh, opposition leader in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj and other top leaders regarding the issue.