BJP amends constitution, Gadkari get second term

Surajkund (Haryana):  Bhartiya janata Party on on Friday amended its constitution enabling the party president, state and district unit chiefs to get a second term, which paves the way for Nitin Gadkari to seek another term for the top post after he completes his present tenure in December.
Sources said RSS wanted Gadkari to continue for another three-year term as it felt the work of overhauling the BJP begun by him is not yet complete.
Party’s senior leader Naidu clarified during the passing of the amendment that this is an “enabling provision” and the incumbent does not “automatically” get a second term. Though this caused a minor flutter, he made the clarification to make it clear to the state unit and district unit chiefs that they should not carry the impression that they are getting another term.
A message has already been sent across to the party cadre to complete the district and state unit-level elections of the BJP by October 31. Gadkari wants his election for another term to be completed before the Gujarat elections are held in December.
Many feel once the Assembly polls in Gujarat are over, Chief Minister Narendra Modi may try to make forays into national politics.
This amendment also means that Gadkari will in all likelihood lead the BJP in the next general elections due in 2014. His second term as president will begin in January 2013 and continue till December 2015.
Under Gadkari’s leadership, BJP has performed well in the Assembly elections held in Goa, Bihar, and Punjab. But in Bihar and Punjab it rode piggyback on NDA allies JD(U) and SAD respectively.
However, the party failed to impress the voter in Uttar Pradesh and its tally went down earlier this year. It also lost power in Uttarakhand.
BJP has also faced criticism due to the infighting and corruption in the party-led Karnataka government.     The party also drew flak for shifting its stand in the Rajya Sabha elections in Jharkhand.