Devyani Rana nominated as BJYM J&K Vice President

Jammu, Jan 6: Presumably in a subtle hint that the party has found a potential heir to carry on the political legacy of its stalwart leader, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Monday nominated Devyani Rana as vice president of J&K BJYM- its youth wing.

Devyani is the elder daughter of Devender Singh Rana, senior BJP leader and former MLA, who passed away last year.

As per a party communiqué, Arun Prabhat, president of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) J&K in consultation with Sat Sharma, president, BJP J&K and Ashok Koul, general secretary (organisation), BJP J&K nominated Devyani as the vice-president, BJYM, J&K.

“Tarun Chugh, national general secretary, BJP and Prabhari, J&K BJP; Sat Sharma, president, J&K BJP; Sunil Sharma, LoP; Kavinder Gupta, former Deputy Chief Minister; Aseem Gupta, vice-president, J&K BJP; Vibodh Gupta, general secretary, J&K BJP and other senior leaders of the party were present on the occasion,” a statement issued by BJP said.

This nomination is being read by political analysts as the party’s decision to settle on an equally illustrious daughter of an illustrious father as its “nominee” from Nagrota, the seat which became vacant following Rana’s demise on October 31 last year.

By-elections to Nagrota and Budgam (seat vacated by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah) are likely to be held in February.

So far, Devyani, as per the last wish of her father, has been on a quiet and apolitical mission to engage with the people of Nagrota, who lost in Rana’s demise a genial, ever-accessible and empathetic representative – a rarity in the contemporary political milieu.

Her simple and genuine moves to connect to people are imbuing hope and positivity for Nagrota people, who were treated as “part of self” by her illustrious father, all through his lifetime.

In her first informal interaction with people in Nagrota, she had shared the “solemn vow” of her father.

“The most significant promise Rana Sahib had extracted from us was that the doors of our house always remained open for people; be it morning, afternoon, evening or night. They shall always remain so,” she had said.