Senior BJP leader Satyanarayan Sattan dubbed Gaurav Ranadive’s appointment as BJP city president “an outcome of ‘shrey and pray’ politics” which, according to him, is ruling the roost in the saffron party these days.
His statement comes two days after another senior leader Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat opened a front against the newly appointed party chief.
“I can understand Shekhawat’s concern as I too share it. Ranadive lacks the experience to hold such an important post. He got the position just because of ‘shrey and pray’ politics which is now omnipresent in the party,” Sattar told Free Press.
The 38-year-old Ranadive is a loyalist of BJP general secretary Kailash Vijyavargiya. Besides, he is also close to BJP organisational general secretary Suhas Bhagat.
Sattan said that Ranadive got appointed as BJP city chief because he prays to his leader (Vijayvargiya) and his leader gets him the position and takes credit (shrey) of it.
“That’s what has happened in Ranadive’s case otherwise there is no reason for the party to appoint such a junior leader, overlooking the claims of several competent senior leaders in the party who have far more experience than Ranadive,” the senior BJP leader said.
An outspoken Sattan said that he had recommended Umesh Sharma who has 35 years of experience for the post, but Ranadive was chosen over him because Sharma does not have “money power” and is not a loyalist of any influential senior leader.
Earlier, Shekhawat opposed the appointment stating that he is inexperienced and inactive. He had alleged that he was appointed to such an important post as he was associated with a particular camp in the party.
The protests against Ranadive is growing but he has chosen to remain non-committal over remarks by senior leaders.
“I have nothing to say on what Shekhawat or Sattan have said about me,” Ranadive said.
