Mumbai: Maharashtra’s BJP unit will induct new faces soon. Highly placed sources have confirmed that the party’s leadership wants to name a new state party chief in place of Raosaheb Danve who recently got mired in controversies. Mr Danve’s statements about farmers and bribing the voters had landed the party in trouble.
Not just that, his pending electricity bill for seven years, his institution’s attempt to grab state school too have contributed to the party’s embarrassment. So, the party’s leadership has decided to bring in a young person, who would lead the party in the General and Assembly elections in 2019.
Mr Danve had returned to state affairs after resigning from union minister of state in early 2015. Before that he was a leader from the Marathwada region. But, after getting organisational chief post of state, he tried to project himself as a state level leader.
However, his statement about ‘Lakshmidarshan’ in civic body elections invited a lot of criticism for the party. Later, his comments about Tur cultivating farmers had worsen matters for the party to the extent that it is still a haunting memory. Against this backdrop, the party leadership in Delhi and Mumbai has now come to the opinion that to avoid more such possible trouble in the future and to have a fresh energy while facing the General elections, Mr Danave must be changed.
The BJP state executive meeting is scheduled for August 17 in Borivali. Though it is unlikely to discuss the issue publicly, the party leadership will try to get the sense of more suitable candidate for the position.
Controversies around danve
- The statement he made in Aurangabad in December 2016, while campaigning for civic elections, appealing voters to not reject money, “Lakshmidarshan”.
- Mr Danve’s statement about tur cultivating farmers who were agitating for their crop procurement damaged the party’s rural outreach plans heavily.
- Controversy around Mr Danve getting control of a zilla parishad school for his educational institution.
- News about Mr Danve failing to pay the electricity bills for seven years caused huge embarrassment for the party. Though Mr Danve clarified on the issue, party members feel that damage has been done.
