BJP general secy divested of charge, moved back to RSS

Ram Lal, one of the longest serving national general secretary (organisation) of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was re-designated at the joint general secretary of the Sampark Vibhag or the outreach wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Saturday, according to RSS functionaries aware of the development.

Ram Lal’s replacement will be announced in due course as a decision on his successor will be taken at the national executive council meeting of the BJP, according to RSS functionaries familiar with the matter . Ram Lal was appointed to the position in 2006, after the then Sangathan Mantri Sanjay Joshi stepped down from the post.

“There are a few names that are in the reckoning, but it will be a decision taken by the party after consultation with the Sangh brass,” said a senior RSS functionary, not wishing to be named.

Party functionaries said V Satish, one of the joint general secretaries (organisation), is likely to be replace Ram Lal.

Lal is learnt to have written to party chief Amit Shah on two occasions—in September 2017 and on July 5 this year—to divest him of the charge.

According to a BJP functionary, aware of the developments, Shah had not accepted his request to relinquish the responsibilities in 2017, since he did not want changes in the party structure ahead of the 2019 general election.

On the reasons for Ram Lal being divested of the charge a senior RSS functionary said, “...this change is part of the process... The Sangh has the right to change responsibilities of its pracharaks.”

A second RSS functionary said the Sangh follows the process of rotating people for various positions, and also keeping in view their age and experience.