SURAJAKUND, FARIDABAD, Sept 28:
The BJP’s National Council meeting here today cleared the decks for an unprecedented back-to-back second term to Nitin Gadkari as party president after it gave a nod to the amendment in the party constitution.
The National Council, which has over 1,200 members, formally adopted the resolution which was moved by senior party leader Rajnath Singh.
The resolution, which also contains provision for second consecutive term for party’s state unit presidents, was seconded by senior party leader Venkaiah Naidu.
Interestingly, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who was present on the stage during discussion on a political resolution, was absent when the resolution for change in party constitution was passed.
Mr Gadkari’s current term as president ends in December and his second tenure will continue till December 2015.
The sources said he got a second term as the party’s ideologue, the RSS, was keen on another term for him.
The change in section 21 of the party constitution allows an active and ‘eligible’ member to get re-elected as the president for two consecutive terms of three years each.
The proposal in this regard was approved by the party in its Mumbai meeting in May this year.
This is for the first time that the BJP will allow any of its leaders to hold the party president’s post for two consecutive terms.
Sources said the RSS was ‘adamant’ to give Mr Gadkari a second term even after opposition from some top leaders.
Industrialist-turned-politician Mr Gadkari has transformed himself into a ‘national leader’.
The 55-year-old leader is best known for the works during his tenure as a Public Works Department Minister in Maharashtra when he constructed a series of roads, highways and flyovers across the state.
Starting his political career as a grassroot worker who laid down red carpets prior to party programmes, Mr Gadkari rose to become a national political figure and the BJP national president with exceptional leadership qualities and ability to connect to the common man.
Mr Gadkari was now gearing up to fight the next Lok Sabha elections from his home state Maharashtra.
The BJP’s constitution makes it mandatory that the process for election of national president should start only when organisational elections are over in at least half the state units.
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