Sandeep Rana
Chandigarh, January 19
With the BJP retaining the Mayor’s post, focus has now shifted to whether party unit chief Arun Sood, whose three-year tenure officially ended yesterday, will continue in the post or not.
A party leader says a list of 12 states/UTs, whose chiefs are to be changed, is with the central leadership and the names are being discussed.
Factors at play
Arun Sood’s supporters believe his chances of getting extension are strong in the wake of party’s success in mayoral electionsHe enjoys good terms with party chief JP Nadda, whose tenure has been extended till 2024, and MP Kirron KherThe party may not go for major changes ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, they sayBut detractors say BJP will factor in party’s poor show in 2021 MC polls, winning 12 out of 35 seats, while deciding
Sood’s supporters believe his chances of getting an extension are strong in the wake of the party’s success in the mayoral polls on January 17 and enhancement of national party chief JP Nadda’s term till June 2024. Sood is said to enjoy good terms with Nadda. Also, if a president is repeated, the team under him is seldom changed. Further, the party may not go for major changes ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, they feel.
Possible candidates
Former Mayors Ravi Kant Sharma, Davesh Moudgil, party leaders Chander Shekhar, Dharinder Tayal, Shakti Parkash Devshali and Satinder Singh are among those who may replace Sood. The BJP may also throw up a surprise with a fresh face.
However, his detractors in the party say the BJP will take into account the huge loss the party had suffered in the 2021 MC elections. Under his leadership, the ruling party managed to win only 12 out of 35 seats. In the previous term, the party had claimed 20 of the 26 seats. His opponents also accuse him of not taking all party leaders along.
His supporters say only a handful of leaders have issues with Sood, while the majority is with him. They blame “selfish leaders within the party” for the loss in the MC elections.
Apart from Nadda, Sood has good relations with local MP Kirron Kher and it can play a major role in his retention. But his relations with former party chief Sanjay Tandon haven’t improved much since the time the latter opposed his candidature as Mayor while simultaneously being the party chief.
Another reason for the rift between them is that both are vying for a Lok Sabha ticket from Chandigarh. Interestingly, both used to be in the same camp before Sood became the party unit chief. Sood used to be considered a close to then party boss Tandon. Both, however, do not get along with former party MP Satya Pal Jain.
