BJP sees revival hope in Bansal appointment

BHUBANESWAR: The appointment of Sunil Bansal as BJP national general secretary and in-charge of Odisha is a significant development for the State unit of the party.Bansal’s additional assignment as Odisha Pravari replacing national general secretary D Purandeswari assumed significance in the wake of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s assertion that the BJP will form the next government in the State. Though many in the State are not aware of Bansal, the man who helped the BJP win election after election since he took over the organisational responsibility (general secretary organisation) of Uttar Pradesh in 2013, those who are familiar with his style of functioning said politics will no more be the same in the State.

An erstwhile member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), also the political grooming ground of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and State BJP president Samir Mohanty, Bansal was drafted in to look after the organisational works of UP by Shah who delivered a resounding success to the party by winning maximum number of Lok Sabha seats from the largest State that helped Narendra Modi to become Prime Minister.

“The State BJP badly needs the supervision of a Central leader with proven organisational skill to make it viable to take on the mighty BJD. Those who were in charge of the party’s State unit so far had miserably failed to carry forward the mission set by Shah as party president,” admits a party leader.

Shah during his visit to the State told local leaders of the party that there is a great possibility for BJP coming to power. He said never before so many Odia people were holding the highest statutory and constitutional posts of the country. What is required is to convert this to earn goodwill of the people and turn it to electoral gains. That will be possible only when the organisation at the grassroots is strong, he said. Congratulating Bansal for his Odisha assignment, State BJP vice-president Bhrugu Baxipatra described him as a good strategist and said his organisational skills will give a big boost to the party in the State.