“Many leaders will have to vacate their posts after their appointment on key positions in the three municipal corporations like mayor, deputy mayor and standing committee members. Apart from the general secretaries, three vice presidents were elected to the MCDs. One of them, Kamaljeet Sehrawat, has been elected as the mayor of South Delhi Municipal Corporation and, therefore, she will have to be dropped from the team of office-bearers,” said a Delhi BJP leader.
As per the BJP Constitution, one leader cannot occupy two posts. Similarly, two vice presidents, Shikha Rai (councillor, SDMC) and Jai Prakash (councillor, NDMC) are likely to be appointed as leaders of the house in the two corporations. Besides, Preeti Agarwal, NDMC (North Delhi Municipal Corporation) mayor; Vipin Bihari, president of the BJP’s Poorvanchal cell and deputy mayor of the East Delhi Municipal Corporation; and Poonam Parasar Jha, president of the party’s women’s wing are also likely to be removed.
There is also speculation that some other leaders like Ravinder Gupta, Kuljeet Chahal and Rajesh Bhatia, all general secretaries, may also be removed. There are charges of indiscipline against them.
Sources said Tiwari is further miffed with loyalists of Union Sports Minister Vijay Goel. Goel had organised a function for the newly elected councillors but Tiwari asked the leaders not to attend the event.
There was considerable confusion within the state party unit. However, the differences between the two were resolved following intervention by BJP’s central leadership.
Tiwari replaced Satish Upadhyaya as Delhi BJP president in December last year. After a month of taking charge, he announced his new team with 35 members, including former AAP member Shazia Ilmi and Nupur Sharma. Effort was made to balance the team with many close aides of Vijay Goel finding place in it. However, after the grand victory in the MCD elections in April, Tiwari now wants to build a team which will have his stamp.
Some within the party also want, those whose spouses have become councillors should be removed from the team. However, no formal decision has been taken in this regard.