File photo: BJP leader Varun Gandhi
Amit Shah has a "new, young BJP" team in place, but one of the youngest faces of the party is not on it. Varun Gandhi has been dropped as BJP general secretary and has been given no other post as a face-saver. (
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BJP leaders says Mr Gandhi, who was appointed General Secretary only last year, has been dropped in keeping with BJP's rule that only one member of a family will hold a post in the party or the government it leads at the Centre. Varun's mother Maneka Gandhi is a minister in Mr Modi's cabinet.
Party sources, however, say there is more to the removal of Varun, who has seemed to cross the party line several times.
Earlier this year, he said Mr Modi's first election rally in Kolkata for the national elections was a success, but only 50,000 people attended. The comment left the party red-faced; a day before, the BJP had claimed that two lakh people attended the rally. (
Also Read: Varun Gandhi's Reported Assessment of Modi Rally is Gift for Congress)
In another awkward moment last year, amid talks that the BJP would name Narendra Modi as its prime ministerial candidate, Varun Gandhi said then party president Rajnath Singh was "fit for the top job". He likened Rajnath Singh to the BJP's first prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the party's gold standard for leadership. (
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The comment was construed by many as a hint that Mr Singh was also in the race to be the party's candidate for PM.
Mr Gandhi was handpicked by Rajnath Singh for his team when the latter took over as BJP chief. He did so despite opposition from several quarters, reportedly arguing that a Gandhi in the BJP team would be an asset. (
Also Read: Rahul and Varun Take Oath One After Another)
Mr Singh stepped down as party chief last month after taking over as the union home minister. Mr Shah, his successor, is Prime Minister Modi's closest aide. (
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Varun's cause would also not have been helped by his mother Maneka Gandhi seeming to pitch her son for the post of UP chief minister two weeks ago at a public rally. BJP sources said Mr Shah had conveyed the party's displeasure to Mrs Gandhi. (
Did Maneka Gandhi Just Pitch Son Varun for UP Chief Minister?)