Mahajan's man finds no place in Gadkari's team

MUMBAI: The BJP in Maharashtra is learning to live with the absence of Pramod Mahajan. The new team appointed by state BJP president Nitin Gadkari is an indicator to this. Mr Gadkari, who deliberately kept himself away from the two pillars of the state BJP — the late Pramod Mahajan and Gopinath Munde — has made major changes in the jumbo executive committee.

A notable exclusion is Pratap Ashar, the man Friday till the other day for the state unit in general, and Mahajan in particular. Mr Ashar had always shadowed Mahajan and for long held the key post of treasurer in the state BJP. He has now been replaced by Piyush Goyal, the son of former shipping minister Vedprakash Goyal. In the past, Goyal senior had held the post of Mumbai treasurer.

A notable inclusion is that of Dhananjay Munde, Gopinath Munde’s nephew, who has been appointed president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, the party’s youth wing. Mahajan’s daughter Poonam has already taken a plunge into active politics.

However, Poonam did not find a place in Mr Gadkari’s extended executive committee though other women ‘activists’ Shaina NC and Smruti Irani have been given special responsibilities. The new state BJP team includes nine vice-presidents, four general secretaries and nine secretaries.

The new faces in the team are television actor Smriti Irani, former joint commissioner of police YC Pawar and fashion designer and social activist Shaina NC.

Haribhau Bagde, Kirit Somaiyya, Vijay Girkar, Harischandra Chavan, Prakash Shendge, Raosaheb Danwe, Pratap Ashar, YC Pawar and Sambhaji Pawar have been appointed vice-presidents of the state unit, while Vinod Tawde, Pasha Patel, Chainsukh Sancheti and Raghunath Kulkarni have been appointed general secretaries.

Smriti Irani, Sanjay Dhotre, Shivajirao Patil, Surendra Mane, Khushal Bopche, Ashok Mankar, Surjitsingh Thakur, Madhukar Kamble and Suhas Farande have been appointed secretaries.

Madhu Chavan and Madhav Bhandari will continue to be the chief spokespersons of the state unit, while Ganesh Hake, Vijay Gavane, Shaina NC and Dayashankar Tiwari will be regional spokespersons.

Manisha Chaudhary will head Mahila Morcha (women’s wing) in the state. Suresh Patil will continue as political secretary to state BJP chief Nitin Gadkari.