BJP MP Rakesh Singh New MP Unit Chief, Sets Up Poll Panel

Bhopal, Apr 18 (PTI) Jabalpur MP Rakesh Singh was today appointed the new president of the Madhya Pradesh BJP unit ahead of the assembly polls, replacing Nandkumar Singh Chauhan.

Offering a glimpse of the BJP's strategy for the upcoming election, Singh, the party's chief whip in the Lok Sabha, today set up a panel comprising three co-conveners-- a tribal, a dalit, and a Brahmin -- after his appointment.

"Singh, the MP from Jabalpur in the state and chief whip of the party in the Lok Sabha, replaced Nandkumar Singh Chauhan who has been in the post since August 2014," said party's state unit vice president Vijesh Lunawat.

The BJP national general secretary Arun Singh issued a letter today appointing Rakesh Singh as the state party chief.

According to sources, Singh's name was finalised in the BJP's state core group meeting in Bhopal last night.

The meeting was also attended by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and BJP organisational secretary Ram Lal.

The general elections to the 230-member Madhya Pradesh assembly will be held by the end of the year. The BJP, which has been at the helm of affairs in the state since 2003, faces the challenge of retaining power for the fourth consecutive term.

Outgoing state BJP unit chief Nandkumar Singh Chauhan had yesterday expressed his "desire" with Chouhan for relieving him of the charge.

The chief minister had said that Nandkumar wanted to concentrate on his Khandwa Lok Sabha seat.

Interestingly, Nandkumar's 'request' to relieve him came days after he kicked up a row saying that "the rape-and-murder (of an eight-year-old girl) in Kathua might have been committed by Pakistan's agents to divide the society".

After his appointment, Singh formed an election management committee, to be headed by Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar.

"The committee has been formed with a view of state assembly elections this year and Lok Sabha polls next year. Narendra Singh Tomar will be the convener of this committee," Singh told reporters.

The committee comprises three co-conveners, including BJP's tribal face Faggan Singh Kulaste, and state ministers Narottam Mishra, a Brahmin, and Lal Singh Arya, a Dalit.

"Apart from me, outgoing state BJP president Nandkumar Singh Chauhan, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, union minister Thawarchand Gehlot, BJP vice-president Prabhat Jha, former union minister Prahlad Patel, state BJP organisation secretary Suhas Bhagat and state Home Minister Bhupendra Singh, besides Maya Singh and Rajendra Shukla would be members of this panel," announced Singh.

Meanwhile, Singh denied existence of any anti-incumbency factor in Madhya Pradesh against the BJP government.

The BJP has been in power in the state since 2003.

Addressing the party workers after taking the charge, Singh exuded confidence that the BJP would once again form governments at the Centre and in Madhya Pradesh.

Earlier, Chief Minister Chouhan said the BJP, under Singh, would win more than 200 seats in the state polls.

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