Final week’s cupboard reshuffle noticed many new faces and a few received elevated to larger ranks, however the title that grabbed most consideration within the BJP and RSS is of celebration’s nationwide common secretary (group) BL Santhosh, who insiders consider, had emerged a lot stronger after the reset and had his stamp of approval on a lot of the names.
Till three years in the past, Santhosh was a stranger to New Delhi. A full-time RSS volunteer from Karnataka, who was controlling the reins of state BJP, was a robust determine in command of the celebration however usually at odds with chief minister and saffron stalwart BS Yediyurappa.
Santhosh’s in a single day elevation to all highly effective BJP nationwide common secretary in command of organisation had raised eyebrows each inside and outdoors the RSS. Some had predicted that he was going to seek out New Delhi powerful and would fail. Others had a religion that he would do effectively maneuvering the corridors of energy in Lutyens’ Delhi.
Santhosh in his white flowing ‘dhoti’ and half-sleeves shirt has been a well-recognized determine within the RSS and BJP for over a decade. Born in coastal Udupi, Santhosh did his engineering from central Karnataka metropolis of Davanagere and joined the RSS as a full timer. For a number of years, he was posted in Shimoga, the house city of Yediyurappa. Based on locals, each had understanding and rapport. Santosh, popularly generally known as Santhoshji landed in Bengaluru over a decade in the past and made state BJP headquarters his dwelling. He was intently recognized with late Union minister Ananthkumar for some years.
A recluse by nature, Santhosh is a doer. He not often used to satisfy the individuals exterior Pariwar and virtually all his interactions with the media are nonetheless off the document. Individuals near him declare that he firmly believes within the core of RSS and by no means will deviate from its ideology. A pointy analyst, Santhosh likes to regulate the levers of energy from behind the scene.
As organisation in command of Karnataka BJP, he was the ultimate phrase on many points, however all the time maintained a low profile, not taking any credit score within the public. He and Yediyurappa had severe variations over functioning of the celebration and plenty of a occasions, it spilled over to public area embarrassing the organisation. However, Santhosh saved his nerve and made positive that there was no public spat.
After he was despatched to New Delhi to coordinate between the RSS and BJP, Yediyurappa heaved a sigh of aid declare his confidantes.
A fast learner Santhosh, familiarised himself with the politics of New Delhi inside no time. Now he simply offers with the advanced points and might deal with any disaster say individuals within the clique.
“Many thought and a few had even secretly hoped that he was going to be a catastrophe in New Delhi. He has proved all of them unsuitable by taking absolute management of the organisation and successful the whole belief of PM Modi,” mentioned a Karnataka BJP MP, who didn’t want to be recognized.
In the course of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Santhosh demonstrated his would possibly by getting Bengaluru South MP ticket to his protégé Tejasvi Surya by checkmating Tejaswini, the widow of sitting MP Ananthkumar. Tejasvi Surya received and have become BJP’s youth wing nationwide president with the blessings of identical Santosh, a yr later.
The removing of minister DV Sadananda Gowda and induction of Shobha Karandlaje together with 4 others — A Narayanaswamy, Bhagwanth Khuba and Rajeev Chandrasekhar — into the brand new cupboard was Santhosh’s thought, in keeping with state BJP insiders.
An avid reader, Santhosh is averse to interactions with the media and engages with the general public via social media platforms reminiscent of Twitter and Fb. However he’s not non-controversial. Typically his acerbic and immature tweets have led to furore creating embarrassment for the BJP. Throughout final yr’s US Presidential elections, his tweet that the present President and Democratic Get together candidate Joe Biden had change into a global news precipitated a stir and he needed to later delete the tweet.
His meddling within the Karnataka politics is a widely known truth and a few consider that he has set his eyes on the chair of chief minister. Some dismiss it as figment of creativeness to discredit him.
Some say Santhosh can even take the identical route as Modi who was the nationwide common secretary in command of organisation 20 years in the past after which turned Gujarat chief minister with none administrative expertise.
‘Being Santhosh’ is most important in BJP and people who know the facility construction know his significance effectively.
Earlier than Santhosh, a number of from Karnataka had held high positions within the RSS. Whereas late KS Sudarshan was the RSS chief, HV Sheshadri was RSS common secretary. The present RSS common secretary, Dattatreya Hosabale, broadly tipped to be the following RSS chief, can be from Karnataka. Will Santhosh comply with them and aspire to be a high RSS functionary or comply with Modi to carry excessive political places of work? Solely the time will inform.
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