- Rajiv Pratap Rudy won Constitution Club Secretary (Administration) post, defeating Sanjeev Balyan
- Election highlighted BJP's internal caste rivalry between Rajput (Rudy) and Jat (Balyan) supporters
- 707 votes cast in election, a record turnout for the Constitution Club polls
Caste arithmetic, Opposition outreach and proven track record helped BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy trump 25 years of anti-incumbency and return as Secretary (Administration) of the Constitution Club of India after defeating party colleague Sanjeev Balyan.
The results of the club election, which made headlines for the high-voltage BJP vs BJP contest, were declared in the early hours today. Mr Rudy was seen beaming with joy as his supporters congratulated him on the big win. Interestingly, slogans of Jai Sanga -- a 15th-century Rajput ruler and an icon for the community -- were raised after Mr Rudy's victory, underlining the caste angle in the poll contest.
While both camps claimed this election had no link with party politics, their campaigns and the equations that played out in the run-up to the polls did bare the faultlines within the BJP. This club election also stood out for its high and star-studded turnout -- 707 votes were cast, several times the 100-odd votes polled in the club's other elections.
Sanjeev Balyan 'Sarkari Pick'?
The former Union Minister from western Uttar Pradesh challenged the 25-year rule of Mr Rudy and promised change. He was backed by some key BJP leaders such as Nishikant Dubey, who said the Constitution Club had become a den of middlemen, bureaucrats and businessmen, and this needed to change. There were also murmurs that Sanjeev Balyan was the Centre's choice, while Opposition parties backed Mr Rudy. The Saran MP's panel contested with a panel that had representation from the Opposition parties. Mr Balyan fought alone.
The attendance was stunning. From Union Home Minister Amit Shah to BJP chief JP Nadda to former UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, the who's who of India's power corridors turned up for a club election, showing how much is at stake.
In fact, many in the BJP who had skipped the election bit their fingers later when they found Mr Shah and Mr Nadda did not miss the polls. NDTV learnt that a club member, now a Rajasthan minister, came from Jaipur to Delhi just to cast his vote.
A Rajput vs Jat Battle
A six-term MP from Bihar, Mr Rudy is from the Rajput community, while Mr Balyan is a Jat leader. In the run-up to the election, the two leaders' supporters drummed up the Rajput vs Jat angle to the Constitution Club contest. As the polls approached, votes were sought and mobilised on caste lines. Jat leaders backed Mr Balyan and Mr Rudy received the support of Rajputs. The caste math also showed the Jat vs Rajput rivalry within the BJP. Insiders say Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, both from the Rajput community, were keenly watching the club election.
In a vindication of the caste factor in the polls, chants of Jai Sanga echoed on the club premises after Mr Rudy's victory around 4 am.
Campaign And Opposition Factor
Both Mr Rudy and Mr Balyan, and other top leaders of the BJP, stressed that the Constitution Club election should not be seen through the prism of party politics. But mobilisation of votes did take place. The results indicated that the Opposition had overwhelmingly backed Mr Rudy, ensuring his victory.
Earlier, the posts of secretary (sports), secretary (culture) and treasurer went to Congress's Rajiv Shukla, DMK's Tiruchi Siva and former Bharat Rashtra Samithi MP AP Jitendher Reddy without contest. Mr Rudy also accommodated several Opposition members in his panel, securing their parties' support and gaining an alliance advantage.
Mr Balyan, on the other hand, relied mostly on Jat connections and fellow BJP leaders in his dash for the top post.
In the run-up to the election, both sides resorted to dinner diplomacy and door-to-door campaigns to bolster support.
A Club For MPs
The nearly eight-decade-old Constitution Club has MPs and former MPs as members. But any MP does not automatically become a Constitution Club member. They must separately apply for the club's membership and the club's administration then makes a decision.
The club has conference rooms, transit accommodation, a Speaker hall, a Deputy Speaker hall, members' lounges, a well-equipped gym, salon, spa, jacuzzi and sports facilities, exclusive restaurants for members, an outdoor tree cafe, and an ice cream parlour. Most of these facilities have been developed under the leadership of Mr Rudy, who took charge of the club's administration after defeating former President Ram Nath Kovind in an election two decades ago.
Officebearers in the club have been generally chosen without contest and yesterday's election was just the fourth poll in its history.
