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The RSS too has put forward two candidates steeped in Sangh legacy and organisational acumen yet free of dynastic baggage in Delhi. For Manipur, it has suggested a seasoned Meitei cabinet minister with deep roots in the Sangh and robust connections with Nagas through family…Read More
With Delhi simmering with political volatility after the defeat of Aam Aadmi Party and Manipur beset by ethnic turbulence, BJP must quickly select leaders who can both win hearts and stabilise challenging state dynamics. (PTI)
‘Finding chief ministers’ — BJP’s most crucial and high-stakes mission is not just another administrative and political exercise, but a defining one for its national trajectory.
With Delhi simmering with political volatility after the defeat of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) that ruled the national capital for over a decade, and Manipur beset by ethnic turbulence, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) must quickly — and through consensus — select leaders who can both win hearts and stabilise challenging state dynamics.
As per the usual protocol in the RSS-BJP organisational structure, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has stepped in with recommendations.
For Delhi, it has put forward two candidates steeped in Sangh legacy and organisational acumen yet free of dynastic baggage. For Manipur, it has suggested a seasoned Meitei cabinet minister with deep roots in the Sangh and robust connections with Nagas through family ties.
Delhi’s Dilemma
In Delhi, the challenge is a bit dramatic and also multi-faceted. The discussions and deliberations at the organisational level are on for a chief ministerial candidate who can seamlessly navigate the city’s cosmopolitan complexities.
While names of some senior leaders, including Parvesh Verma, are in circulation, the RSS is of the opinion that the BJP should select someone who has deep roots at the organisational level and doesn’t have any baggage of dynasty politics.
The ideal leader must blend modern vision with deep-rooted political acumen, ensuring that the Capital’s bustling urban spirit is matched by the political wisdom demanded by New Delhi’s corridors of power.
Manipur Maelstrom
Meanwhile, almost halfway across the country, Manipur presents an even more volatile and sensitive theatre. Here, ethnic fault lines and border insecurities have transformed local governance into a precarious balancing act.
The chief ministerial candidate projected by the Manipur BJP is going to be about more than mere administration; it is also about choosing a unifying figure capable of quelling communal strife and reinstating stability along one of India’s most sensitive frontiers.
According to sources in the RSS ranks, the organisation wants a Meitei and local senior leader who has roots in the RSS and is able to bridge the gaps among the tribal communities.
The Sangh cannot afford to lose Manipur further. From the organisation’s point of view, the violence continues to keep the region disturbed, which may encourage ‘divisive’ and ‘foreign forces’ to endanger national security. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale have time and again mentioned Manipur in their speeches and urged the Union and state governments to address the situation.
Any miscalculation in this region could ignite broader dissent and destabilise the entire northeast, making the situation worse.
