Ex-deputy PM Devi Lal's grandson and MLA Mohan Lal among new BJP district presidents in Haryana

Former deputy prime minister Devi Lal’s grandson Aditya and sitting MLA Mohan Lal are among the new district presidents appointed by the ruling BJP in Haryana on Wednesday. The appointments were made by Haryana BJP president and former minister Om Prakash Dhankar, exactly a month after he took over as the new state chief of the party. Among the 22 district presidents appointed by the party, three have been retained and they are Ajay Bansal (Rohtak), Gopal Sharma (Faridabad) and Ashok Kumar Dhand (Kaithal). BJP leader Aditya Devi Lal has been made Sirsa district president, while party legislator from Rai segment, Mohan Lal becomes the district chief from Sonipat, in which Baroda Assembly constituency also falls. Baroda Assembly segment fell vacant after demise of sitting Congress MLA Shri Krishan Hooda in April this year and bypolls in the constituency are due, though dates are yet to be announced by the Election Commission. The BJP is eyeing to wrest the seat from the main Opposition, Congress. Two women who have also been appointed district presidents are Gargi Kakkar (Gurugram) and Archana Gupta (Panipat). Among others to be appointed district presidents include state secretary of party’s Kisan Morcha, Raj Kumar Saini (Kurukshetra), party’s state executive members Satyender Parmar (Dadri), Raju Moor (Jind), Vikram Kadian (Jhajjar). In the appointments for the district unit presidents, the party has attempted to balance the caste equations in the state, where politics revolves around Jats and non-Jats. While congratulating the newly appointed district unit chiefs, Dhankar exuded confidence that they will take the party to new heights. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar also congratulated the newly appointed district unit chiefs. Ahead of appointment of district unit presidents, State General Secretary (Organisation) Suresh Bhatt, who was accompanied by Dhankar, had met BJP president JP Nadda in New Delhi on Tuesday.