BJP silenced critics by naming Meghraj to RS

BHOPAL: Newly elected Rajya Sabha member Meghraj Jain was president of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM --BJP youth wing) when chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was young and a member of the organisation. When BJP chose Jain on Wednesday as replacement for Kaptan Singh Solanki in Upper House, BJYM connection between veteran RSS functionary and chief minister was the most recollected story.
In a long list of aspirants from the state and at least two names from New Delhi, Meghraj Jain - a man who dedicated 60 years of his life for service to the BJP-RSS - evolved as consensus candidate.With him on board, no one would ask why Meghraj Jain?
BJP which has been in power in the state for nearly 11 years, would have faced internal rebellion if another outsider was sent to Rajya Sabha. State BJP has already sent Union ministers Najma Heptullah and Prakash Javdekar and journalist Chandan Mitra. In Lok Sabha, party had accomodated Sushma for a second term from Vidisha.
List of candidates from state for two-year long Rajya Sabha seat was not free from trouble either with Bundelkhand demanding representation and Indore and Mahakaushal asking for their candidates in the Upper House.
Under such circumstances Union minister for external affairs Sushma Swaraj, Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan assured central leadership that Meghraj Jain would be the undisputable candidate with his clean image and long service to the organisation. Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and state organisation secretary Arvind Menon took care of the rest.
Everyone was convinced that Meghraj Jain's previous Rajya Sabha tenure of just 11 months in 2011-12 was not adequate to acknowledge his contribution to RSS-BJP combine. Hence, he deserved another stint.
State BJP leaders said that in addition to the respect for Meghraj Jain, the party also appeased powerful Jain business community by sending the veteran to Upper House. Jain community is considered the BJP's strong vote-bank in state.