C.T. Ravi
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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday, July 29, 2023, rejigged its national team of office-bearers and C.T. Ravi, who was national general secretary of the party, has been dropped. With this, the sole representative from Karnataka is B.L. Santhosh, who holds the powerful post of national general secretary (Organisation). 

Reacting to this development, Mr. Ravi tweeted, “From booth president to national general secretary, my journey in the BJP has been very educative and transformative in many ways.” He said he would continue to work for the party with “utmost dedication” in any position.

The move has set the party circles abuzz that a revamp of the State unit — which is being discussed for months now — will happen soon.

Up for top job?

Dropping Mr. Ravi, who recently lost the Assembly polls from Chikkamagaluru constituency, has triggered speculation on whether he will be made the chief of the party’s State unit. He has been a contender for the post from even before the Assembly polls. His recent meeting with the former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, after an acrimonious phase between the two, is now being speculated as a “signal” that he could be up for the party’s top job in the State. 

However, sources close to Mr. Ravi said the party high command had not sounded him out for any other assignment at the moment and his meeting with Mr. Yediyurappa was a “courtesy call”.

Mr. Ravi, Union Minister of State and Udupi-Chikkamagaluru Shobha Karandlaje, and former Energy Minister V. Sunil Kumar have been the front runners for the post for over six months now. But the party high command is yet to take a call. 

However, recently, the probability of an alliance with the Janata Dal (Secular), had disrupted caste calculations for the choices to the party president and legislature party leader’s posts.

Caste calculations

Recently, B.Y. Vijayendra, son of Mr. Yediyurappa, met party president J.P. Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He had apparently pitched for the party State president’s job, arguing that a Lingayat has to be made the party chief to offset any damage, in case of an alliance with the JD(S), seen as a Vokkaliga party. Sources close to Mr. Yediyurappa said if the party were to decide on choosing a Vokkaliga for the party president’s post, the former Chief Minister would any day choose Ms. Karandlaje over Mr. Ravi. 

“The party high command will likely take a call and make appointments to both posts after the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament concludes,” a senior party leader hoped.