Sanjay Joshi

Sanjay Joshi

Sanjay Joshi at Bangalore Airport
Personal details
Born (1962-04-06) 6 April 1962
Nagpur, Maharashtra
Nationality Indian
Political party Bharatiya Janata Party
Alma mater Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur
Occupation Politician
Religion Hindu
Website bjpsanjayjoshi.com

Sanjay Joshi is an Indian politician belonging to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He was a long-time member of the Gujarat BJP and was a member of the BJP national executive[1] until he was forced to resign after public pressure from Narendra Modi.[2] [3] During his 2001-2005 tenure as National General Secretary (Organization), he led the organization that enabled BJP to win Assembly elections in five states (Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh).[4]

Background

Joshi was born in Nagpur[5] on 6 April 1962.[6] A mechanical engineer from VNIT, Nagpur by training, Joshi was a lecturer in an engineering college, but he resigned to become a full-time pracharak in the nationalist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in Maharashtra.[7] Noting his organizational acumen, he was asked to join BJP in Gujarat in 1988,[8] where the party was politically weak. He is known for his good rapport with grass root level workers.

Joshi became a leading figure in BJP politics in Gujarat. From 1988 to 1995, he worked closely with Narendra Modi as a secretary of Gujarat BJP.[9] A former colleague, Gordhan Zadafia has said of him that he is "a silent worker with immense capability and is popular and loved by party workers, while Modi has a dictatorial attitude.".[10] Joshi was viewed as a bachelor who had dedicated his life to the party.[8]

Public feud with Narendra Modi

After a revolt by Shankersinh Vaghela, Modi was shunted out, and BJP won in the subsequent elections in 1998. Joshi became the general secretary of BJP in Gujarat. It seems Modi feels that Sanjay Joshi was instrumental in his expulsion from Gujarat.[11]

In 2001, BJP Central leadership removed Keshubhai Patel and allowed Modi to become chief minister. Since then Joshi has been the focus of several of Modi's actions.[12]

Sex CD against Joshi

In 2005, Joshi was highlighted in a controversial sex CD,[8] which led to his being removed from all posts in the BJP. However, later it was found that the CD had been doctored[10]

In 2010, police officer Balkrishna Chaubey apparently testified that the CD had been given to him by DIG D G Vanzara,[13] known to be close to Modi[14]

After this episode, Joshi was not reinstated for six years, primarily due to opposition from the Gujarat faction.[15] However, in 2011, party president Nitin Gadkari re-appointed Joshi the coordinator for BJP in the Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly election, 2012, and appointed him to the national executive. Reportedly unhappy with this move,[16] Modi skipped a party meeting in 2011 Oct, and refused to campaign in UP.[17]

Resignation from BJP national executive

In May 2012, it was reported that Modi had called Gadkari,[18] threatening to boycott the BJP national meet unless Joshi was removed from the BJP.[19][20] In what is widely seen as an erosion of the BJP president's power,[21] Joshi was forced to resign from the BJP executive, and within two hours, Modi announced his decision to attend the BJP meet.[22] The RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat expressed his displeasure at this treatment of Joshi.[18]

In July 2012, Joshi sought security cover z++ category from the Home Ministry as according to him there was threat to his life and had received threatening letters and calls on his mobile phone from a person named Rasool Khan.[23]

In May 2013, Modi again lobbied for non-inclusion of Joshi in an important electoral committee of the BJP.[11] In his tussle with Modi, Joshi apparently enjoys the support of several RSS groups, and also former BJP chief Rajnath Singh, and others.

Currently Joshi has no assignment with BJP; He stays in a Gujarat MP’s flat in North avenue road New Delhi is full of political activity with senior BJP leaders and party workers wants to meet him. As party man with strong backing in RSS, Sanjay joshi played an important role in organization building in Nagpur.[19]

References

  1. ↑ "Sanjay Joshi [Biography] BJP leader ~ Matpal". Matpal.com. 2012-06-08. Retrieved 2013-08-02.
  2. ↑ Mohua Chatterjee (May 24, 2012). "Modi gets the better of Gadkari, Sanjay Joshi quits BJP national executive". Times of India.
  3. ↑ "Sanjay Joshi quits BJP". 8 June 2012.
  4. ↑ http://eci.nic.in/eci_main1/index.aspx
  5. ↑ Anubhuti Vishnoi (22 April 2014). "The other Joshi sidelined by the BJP". The Indian Express. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
  6. ↑ "Sanjay Joshi felicitation function cancelled". The Times of India. 6 April 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
  7. ↑ "Joshi BJP's Draupadi, only even more wronged". Indian Express. 2006-04-18. Retrieved 2013-08-02.
  8. 1 2 3 http://in.rediff.com/news/2005/dec/28bjpspec.htm quote: quote: within the BJP and the RSS, he is famous for his organisational skills and his reach... Before the sex CD incident, he was a link between the RSS and the BJP. Everybody took it for granted that he was not just a bachelor but celibate too.
  9. ↑ "Narendra Modi and Sanjay Joshi: Comrades who turned foes - Economic Times". Economictimes.indiatimes.com. 2012-05-24. Retrieved 2013-08-02.
  10. 1 2 http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_narendra-modi-and-sanjay-joshi-comrades-who-turned-foes_1693236 In 2005, Joshi was forced to resign following controversy over a CD purportedly showing him in poor light. The CD surfaced during the silver jubilee celebrations of the party in Mumbai. An enquiry subsequently, however, found that the CD had been doctored. Joshi was absolved, and his supporters pointed fingers at the Modi camp for planting false evidence.
  11. 1 2 "Why is Narendra Modi afraid of Sanjay Joshi?". May 8, 2013. Modi was convinced that it was Sanjay Joshi who orchestrated his banishment.
  12. ↑ Vikram Vakil (May 25, 2012). "Modi and Sanjay Joshi were never meant to be friends". Rediff news.Narendra Modi and Sanjay Joshi's enmity has acquired legendary proportions in Gujarat for more than a decade.
  13. ↑ Dilip Patel (July 20, 2010). "Sanjay Joshi sex CD comes back to haunt BJP". Ahmedabad Mirror (Times of India).
  14. ↑ PTI (Sep 3, 2013). "DG Vanzara on Narendra Modi: My 'god' has betrayed me". Times of India.
  15. ↑ "Sanjay Joshi holds no post in BJP: Rajnath". Times of India. 2009-05-26. Retrieved 2013-08-02.
  16. ↑ "War within the BJP over re-induction of Sanjay Joshi". NDTV. October 9, 2011.Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has made his displeasure known over the re-induction of Mr Joshi, his bete noire, into the BJP.
  17. ↑ "Sanjay Joshi quits BJP, a day after more anti-Modi posters appear". NDTV. June 8, 2012.After six years in political exile he was brought back last year by Mr Gadkari, to play a key role in the BJP's UP election campaign. Mr Gadkari handpicked him for the role, reportedly with the blessings of the RSS. Mr Modi's deep sulk began then. He skipped an important party meet in October last and also refused to campaign for the UP elections because of Mr Joshi's presence.
  18. 1 2 Pradip Kumar Maitra, (June 13, 2012). "RSS chief upset over Joshi ouster, Modi spared". Hindustan Times.as pro-Joshi posters appeared in Delhi and some places in Gujarat, Modi made a telephone call to Gadkari, asking the latter to either relieve him from his chief minister’s post or Joshi from the party.
  19. 1 2 B. Muralidhar Reddy and Shoumojit Banerjee (June 12, 2012). "Modi has his way, Sanjay Joshi removed". The Hindu.quote: Mr. Modi has been at loggerheads with Mr. Gadkari after the latter took Mr. Joshi back into the party after six years and tasked him with working out the strategy for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
  20. ↑ "Sanjay Joshi on comeback trail?". Times Of India. 2013-04-04. Retrieved 2013-08-02.
  21. ↑ ET Bureau (2012-05-25). "Sanjay Joshi, Nitin Gadkari get another term - Economic Times". Economictimes.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 2013-08-02.
  22. ↑ http://www.indianexpress.com/news/modi-gets-his-way-joins-party-meet-after-arch-rival-joshi-forced-to-quit/953279/ quote: "I will land in Mumbai at 3:15 pm"
  23. ↑ "BJP's Sanjay Joshi claims fresh threat to life, seeks security from Chidambaram". 9 July 2012.

24. Website : http://www.sanjayvinayakjoshi.com/

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