Maharashtra BJP Unveils New Team, Emphasizes Generational Change and Representation

Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan on Tuesday announced a new team comprising six general secretaries, 12 vice-presidents, 12 secretaries, a treasurer, and presidents of the youth, women’s, and OBC wings. The list includes a handful of turncoats from other parties. While focussing on the generational change keeping with central BJP’s policy directives, the state unit has ensured adequate representation to women, caste composition and regional balance with special focus on western Maharashtra. A senior BJP functionary said, “ Out of the total 43 member team there are ten women candidates across categories such as general secretary, secretary and vice president.” Similarly, the party has accommodated candidates from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes beyond the specified SC and ST cell to be headed by Vishwajeet Gaikwad and Deorao Holi respectively. The Minorities cell will be headed by Idris Multani. In terms of the regional composition, of the total 43 members, Western Maharashtra accounts for the highest with ten. It is followed by Vidarbha eight, Konkan six, Marathwada seven, North Maharashtra five and Mumbai seven. Addressing the media at the BJP headquarters, Chavan said the new team would work to expand the party in areas where it is weak. The appointment of the new team was delayed because of local body elections. “The selection of candidates for the new team was a task. There were plenty of meritorious candidates. But given the limitations of the team structure, we had to select some. Those who have been left out will be accommodated in the organisational work and given equally important roles,” Chavan said. In a cadre-based party, every worker is important, and his or her contribution is significant for organisational growth, he added. The new team was constituted in consultation with state and central leaders, including BJP national president Nitin Nabin, Amit Shah , B L Santhosh, Shiv Prakash, and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis . The new general secretaries are Niranjan Davkhare, Sanjay Kute, Madhavi Naik, Rajesh Pandey, Sunil Rane, and Yogesh Sagar. The new vice-presidents are Atul Kalsekar, Bharati Pawar, Sanjay Korge, Sanjay Bhende, Ramdas Tadas, Keshav Upadhye, Gopichand Padalkar, Priya Shinde, Sujay Vikhe Patil, Archana Patil Chakurkar, Pravin Pote, and Chaitanya Deshmukh. Prashant Thakur, Mangesh Chavan, Parinay Phuke, Varsha Dahale, Santosh Janate, Sanjay Jagtap, Archana Dehankar, Rohini Naidu, Ram Satpute, Pravin Ghuge, Rekha Kulkarni, and Bhairavi Wagh are the new twelve secretaries. Krishnaraj Mahadik from Kolhapur has been appointed president of the BJYM, MLC Chitra Wagh retained for another term as the president of the Mahila Morcha, and MLC Yogesh Tilekar as president of the OBC Morcha. The Mulund MLA Mihir Kotecha is the new treasurer along with co-treasurer Arun Lakhani. Both office bearers have been continued in the new team. Navnath Ban, a newly elected corporator from Mankhurd, is the state BJP’s new chief spokesperson.