In a fiercely contested and unusually animated election for control of the Constitution Club (CC) in New Delhi, an institution that serves current and former Members of Parliament, Saran MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy emerged victorious over fellow BJP leader and former Union Minister Sanjeev Balyan.
The two BJP heavyweights were locked in a no-holds-barred tussle for the post of secretary (administration), a battle that stretched over weeks of high-octane campaigning and unveiled some rather unexpected political equations.
First, the numbers. According to reports, 707 votes were polled, with 679 cast and an additional 38 counted as ballots—amounting to 60% of the electorate, possibly the highest ever recorded for these elections. Rudy clinched the post with a decisive margin of 102 votes.
Cutting across party lines, the election saw political allegiances blur in striking ways. Congress MP Deepender Hooda lent his weight to Rudy in a contest otherwise characterised as a BJP versus BJP showdown.
In a significant moment of cross-party participation, even Congress leader Sonia Gandhi turned up to cast her vote.
With the party’s president Mallikarjun Kharge also showing up, the signs were unmistakable. Rudy had Congress’s backing. A BJP MP told a national daily that “Sonia and Kharge had come to back Rudy and so Amitbhai and other BJP ministers turned up to support Balyan.”
Understandably, the contest, fought within the BJP’s ranks, was not without speculation: Balyan, backed visibly by Jharkhand MP Nishikant Dubey and Anakapalli MP CM Ramesh, was believed to have the blessings of the BJP’s “senior” leadership.
Rudy, meanwhile, was rumoured to enjoy the support of a powerful regional satrap. Both camps denied these alignments, but the chatter refused to die down.
The campaign’s intensity left first-time BJP MP Kangana Ranaut stumped. She was quoted as saying that, “for the first time, it’s BJP versus BJP, so this is quite confusing, especially for those of us who are new.”
Despite the confusion, the contest carried real weight.
Rudy has led the Constitution Club for close to 25 years. His long stint was met with both bouquet and brickbats.
Supporters credited him for giving the club a life since the early 2000s, adding guest rooms, a spa, gym, and restaurants. Opponents, however, argued it was time for a new guard.
Established in 1965 on Rafi Marg, next to the Vittalbhai Patel House where MPs reside, the Constitution Club has long served as a venue for both political and non-political gatherings. Over the years, it has been the site of seminars, press meets, and events of all kinds.
Elections at the CC are typically held for four posts besides the 11-member executive committee.
While Rudy took the secretary (administration) post in this round, other positions were also filled: DMK MP P Wilson won the post of secretary (treasurer), Congress MP Rajiv Shukla secured the secretary (sports) slot, and DMK MP Tiruchi Shiva was elected secretary (culture) unopposed after rival candidates withdrew.
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