So near, yet so far: Vijayvargiya lost yet another political race
Amit Shah
who was in Bhopal to address the valedictory function of the Global Investors' Summit delayed his return from Bhopal airport and met
Kailash Vijayvargiya
at the state hangar for about 20 minutes.
Vijayvargiya was also caught unawares as he was travelling to Indore when Shah's phone call came and he rushed to Bhopal airport to meet him.
The 20-minute meeting between the two fuelled speculations that Vijayvargiya might be entrusted the charge of BJP state president as VD Sharma had already completed his term.
Shah came out of the meeting, resting his arm across Vijayvargiya's shoulder. The body language of both Shah and Vijayvargiya made people believe that the announcement is imminent.
But days turned to weeks and months and though Vijayvargiya remained in the race for state president, when the announcement finally came on Wednesday – it was MLA from Betul assembly seat Hemant Khandelwal who made the cut to the top.
The ascent of Kailash Vijayvargiya, MP's urban administration minister and Malwa strongman from a BJYM leader in the 1990s to BJP's national general secretary in-charge of West Bengal state has been dramatic.
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by Taboola
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So has been his failure to make the cut to the top.
Over the years Vijayvargiya has seen many a slip between the cup and the lip.
For most observers the state BJP presidentship race turned out to be a recap of the 2023 assembly election. Kailash Vijayvargiya was one of the front-runners along with former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, former Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Prahlad Singh Patel for the post of MP chief minister.
But, when the party announced the name of Mohan Yadav, it left everyone surprised.
The question is, why is Kailash Vijayvargiya, a BJP stalwart in the state who never lost an election has not been able to get onto a bigger role. When he left the state in 2015 to join the central leadership under former BJP chief Amit Shah, Vijayvargiya was the minister for urban administration in the state govt. He was given charge of West Bengal, a place where politics is blemished with violence and bloodshed.
With Vijayvargiya as the national general secretary in-charge of West Bengal BJP, the party secured just three seats in 2016 assembly elections. By 2019 Lok Sabha elections, West Bengal gave BJP 18 of the total 42 seats and a vote share of 40%. This made Kailash Vijayvargiya gain indisputable trust with Amit Shah.
Then came the assembly election 2021 and deaths of party workers were reported by BJP every other day in TMC-governed West Bengal.
It was a do or die fight for the saffron party. Though TMC retained power after securing 216 seats out of 294, BJP became the official opposition with 77 seats, a gain of 74 MLAs in five years. But violence was uncontrollable in West Bengal and BJP state chief Dilip Ghosh reported the deaths of 37 workers in post poll results.
After the defeat, BJP organization was badly hit as most of the TMC leaders who joined the party before the polls returned to the TMC fold.
Vijayvargiya had to take responsibility for all allegations that came from the organization and in 2023 returned to MP.
Along with former Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar, Prahlad Singh Patel, Faggan Singh Kulaste – Kailash Vijayvargiya was also asked to contest the assembly elections from Indore 1 seat.
A reluctant Vijayvargiya, wanted a ticket for his son Akash Vijayvargiya, who was MLA for one term, a demand which the which the party supposedly shot down.
Though in the race for chief minister, he was back to where he left in 2015 – made cabinet minister for urban administration.
Speaking to TOI, a senior office-bearer of the state BJP argued, "It is not just Kailash Vijayvargiya. It is party's policy that new faces should be brought forward and given the opportunity. Kailash Vijayvargiya, Narendra Singh Tomar, Prahlad Singh Patel and Narottam Mishra have had their time in the party.
Their contribution is respected by all, but time has come for generational change. No single person is being targeted.
"
BOX...
THE ENIGMA: WHY HE FAILS
1. When it came to the CM's post, BJP has always appointed an OBC since more than 50% of voting population in the state comes from that community. Hence, Uma Bharti, Babulal Gaur, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Mohan Yadav. Vijayvargiya being a Marwari Baniya, got beaten in the caste calculation.
2. Kailash Vijayvargiya is now 69 years and though he is a seven-time MLA, he like other senior party legislators is not getting preference because of the age factor. Internal policy of the BJP is to build new leadership with younger faces.
3. West Bengal assembly polls 2021 did not go well for Vijayvargiya despite attaining the status of the second most important party in the state. Allegations were levelled against him by BJP veteran Tathagata Roy
4. Hemant Khandelwal as state BJP chief was the choice of CM Mohan Yadav. Appointing Khandelwal as organisation head ensured there is no conflict between the party and the govt
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