Mumbai: With the elevation of Ashish Shelar, the current Mumbai unit President of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as a cabinet minister, the party is set to get a new chief for its city unit. The party has started searching for the new president and two candidates are in the fray i.e. Parag Alvani, BJP MLA from Vile-Parle and Piyush Goyal.
Earlier, newly elected MP from Mumbai North-East Manoj Kotak’s name was being discussed. According to the party’s policy, no person can hold two positions in the party. Also, no person can hold the president’s post for more than two consecutive terms of three years each.
Kotak is already a corporator and group leader in Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and he has been elected as MP recently. Apparently, his name lagged behind and Alvani is likely to be the new party chief.
“The party chief should be strong, who will have the task of taking the party to victory in the Assembly polls,” a senior BJP leader said. Alvani represents Vile-Parle and his wife Jyoti is serving the second term as BJP corporator in the BMC.
As a student leader, Parag had shown spark in the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) under the leadership of then ABVP leader Vinod Tawde.
The second name is Union Minister Piyush Goyal as he is capable and close to the party’s central leadership. He also has good capacity to collect funds for the Assembly election.
According to the sources, the party is now considering a Marathi candidate for the Mumbai chief’s post and Alvani is a strong contender for the post. On Saturday, the party held a meeting to discuss various issues, where the party discussed the strategy of Assembly election.
“Without a full-time party unit president, it is not easy to face the election,” said a party leader on the condition of anonymity.
The BJP State will get a new president as current chief Danve has been elevated as a Minister at the Centre.
