The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has begun the process of reviewing its constitution. A committee has been formed at the party's central office to examine various suggestions. The review is expected to be completed within three months.
But the more urgent business of constituting the new team of party officials will be finalised after Kushabhau Thakre takes over as BJP president in Gandhinagar this weekend.
"The list has not been finalised yet. Thakreji may not announce the new team in Gandhinagar. He will have to go through the state's preferences. Most probably we can expect it after Thakreji returns to Delhi," a BJP source said on Saturday.
With the party running the central government for the first time, the BJP leadership intends to de-link the organisation from the administration; the constitutional review is an effort in this direction.
"Senior party vice-presidents Keshubhai Patel and Kalyan Singh are chief ministers in Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh respectively. Though there is no written one man, one post rule, this issue has to be settled as a number of senior leaders are members of the central government," says a senior BJP leader.
The last amendment of the party constitution -- on the membership issue -- was made almost six years ago by BJP vice-president Sunder Singh Bhandari, now Bihar's governor.
Another matter left unresolved is the duration of the president's tenure. The party constitution says a leader cannot remain BJP president for more than two successive terms of two years.
BJP sources reveal that L K Advani was inclined to change the clause to give an incumbent more time to build up the party, but would not do it while he remained president.
Choosiing members of Thakre's team has become a cumbersome process. Much pressure is being mounted by those BJP leaders who missed the bus during the formation of the government.
The apex national executive committee -- a 140 member body -- could now become 200 strong, according to BJP sources.
But the most cherished posts are those of the five general secretaries. After that, the seven vice-presidents's posts are sought after. Seven national secretaries round up the team.
Key strategist K N Govindacharya will retain the general secretary's post and may succeed Thakre as the general secretary in charge of the organisation.
M Venkaiah Naidu, a Rajya Sabha MP, has indicated his inclination to
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