Star-struck BJP chief Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday appointed actor-turned-politician Smriti Irani as the party’s women wing chief. Earlier too, many eyebrows were raised in the organisation when Mr Gadkari tried to nominate yesteryears’ “dream girl” Hema Malini for a Rajya Sabha berth from Madhya Pradesh. He was later forced to backtrack following a stiff resistance over her nomination from within the party. He, however, had already made Ms Malini the party’s vice-president.
Mr Gadkari, who hails from Maharashtra, showed his keen interest in Bollywood when he began incorporating filmstars and their wives in BJP. Actor-turned-politician Mr Viond Khanna’s wife was made member of the party’s national executive.
This had upset Bollywood star and the party’s Lok Sabha member Shatrughan Sinha, who too wanted his wife in the BJP national executive.
Mr Gadkari also appointed Himachal Pradesh chief minister Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal’s son and MP Anurag Thakur as head of the party’s youth wing.
The party also announced the names of its 20-member central election committee, a five-member disciplinary committee and heads of Minority, Kisan, SC and ST Morchas of the party.
Apart from the party’s parliamentary board members, the 20-member election committee includes names of senior leaders, including Mr Kalraj Mishra, Mr Shahnawaz Hussain, Mr Narendra Singh Tomar, Ms Vasundhara Raje, Mr Arjun Munda, Mr Gopinath Munde, Mr Dharmendra Pradhan and Mr Vijay Goel.
The five-member disciplinary committee is headed by the former Delhi unit chief of the party, Mr Om Prakash Kohli.