High-profile and controversial RSS functionary and former BJP general secretary Ram Madhav has returned back into lime light in the BJP, after he was shunted out from the party responsibilities four years ago. In a surprising move, he was appointed as the party in-charge for the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, for which already union minister G Kishan Reddy was also appointed.
Incidentally, as BJP general secretary he stitched the coalition for the party with the PDP in 2015, but blamed mis-handling of political affairs in the border state. Ultimately, the alliance collapsed and since then the BJP leadership did not dare to conduct elections there.
However, he has been constantly in touch with the top leadership of the BJP, a section of party leaders said his return was made possible with a push from the RSS
The Assembly Elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be held in three phases on September 18, 25 and October 1. The results will be announced on October 4. A statement to this effect was issued by party national general secretary Arun Singh.
“BJP national president JP Nadda has appointed Ram Madhav, former national general secretary, and Union minister G Kishan Reddy as election in-charge for upcoming assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir,” it said “This appointment comes into effect immediately,” the statement said.
Madhav served as BJP national general secretary during 2014-20 period. He was responsible for handling the political affairs of Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and other Northeastern states. In a reshuffle on September 26, 2020, the BJP dropped Madhav and several other general secretaries to bring in new faces in its team.
After he was shunted out from the BJP, the RSS accommodated him as a member of its national executive, but kept without any specific responsibilities. He has been running his show as looking after resourceful think-tank India Foundation, based in New Delhi.
Originating from Amalapuram of Konaseema, the high-tech RSS Pracharak was known for emerging as `guru’ for the faction in AP BJP that opposed former vice president M Venkaiah Naidu. He was instrumental in encouraging former state presidents Kanna Lakshmi Narayana and Somu Veerraju inorder to sideline all those close to Venkaiah Naidu.
