Chauhan to head BJP unit in MP

In a major set back to former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharti, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief LK Advani today appointed her arch rival and Vidisha MP Shivraj Singh Chauhan as the president of the party's state unit, while retaining Arun Jaitley as general secretary incharge of the state.

Bharti, who has been in the news for indiscipline after a stormy walkout from a party meeting has also fallen out with Jaitley, her one time ally.

The party appears to have decided to take the middle path when it comes to Gujarat by appointing Vajubhai Wala, close to chief minister Narendra Modi and once also close to former chief minister Keshubhai Patel, as state party chief.

Wala, who was once the finance minister in the Modi ministry, has according to sources been appointed according to a previously worked out formula during a meeting with Advani a couple of months ago, wherein Modi would be allowed to get his men into the party, while a Cabinet expansion, which is to follow, will accommodate members of the dissident camp.

Outgoing Gujarat BJP chief RS Rana, has said that he is happy with the appointment of Wala, but refused to comment on the upcoming reshuffle where dissidence such as Vallabhai Katheria will be accommodated into the state Cabinet.

No comments were forthcoming from Uma Bharti who has been sulking at Amarkantak, a pilgrimage spot in Madhya Pradesh. Bharti has been asking for a co-ordination committee between the party and the government to run Madhya Pradesh, in order to retain some say in the state's fortune.

The Party far from obliging her, has appointment her arch rival as party president in state. Chauhan, an OBC, has been appointed to woo the vote bank, which is also Bharti's strength. The party also made outgoing state unit president Kailash Joshi the "prabhari" (incharge) for Madhya Pradesh BJP.

These appointments have also ensured that there are two posts of general secretary left open in the BJP Nation Executive. It is being speculated that Uma Bharti, may be offered one of these posts in order to appease her. She had earlier refused to take on the post preferring to hope for restitution of the Madhya Pradesh chief minister's post.