The transfer from Uttarakhand to Rajasthan of Ajaey Kumar, a BJP organisational general secretary whose name has cropped up in connection with the 2022 murder of a hotel receptionist, is being seen as an indication that the case continues to haunt the party in the poll-bound hill state.
The names of several BJP leaders have been linked to the case by protesters across Uttarakhand. The 19-year-old receptionist at Vanantara Resort in Rishikesh had been allegedly assaulted, murdered and thrown into a canal after she refused to offer “special services” to at least one “VIP guest”.
The resort was owned by now-suspended BJP leader Vinod Kumar Arya, the then pottery board chairman who had the status of a minister, and run by his son Pulkit Arya. Pulkit and two resort managers are serving life terms in connection with the murder.
A woman leader of the BJP had mentioned Dushyant Kumar Gautam, the party’s national general secretary, while referring to the “VIP” whose identity is yet unknown. Dushyant has denied the allegation and taken
legal recourse.
Protests against Uttarakhand’s Pushkar Singh Dhami government that began four years ago have intensified after recent claims that have pointed fingers at the BJP.
Known for their massive organisational activities in the state, Ajaey and Dushyant had been lying low for the past two years. Although Ajaey has not commented on the receptionist case, those close to him have denied the allegations and said efforts were on to malign him.
Sources said that during a tour of the state from May 28 to 30, new BJP national president Nitin Nabin received complaints against Ajaey from within the party and took affirmative action after reaching Delhi.
“We have made it clear to the party high command that it will be difficult for us to win the Assembly elections in Uttarakhand if these leaders continue to be seen in the state. We need to respect the sentiments of the people and keep these faces out of sight at least till the 2027 Assembly polls,” a senior BJP leader from Uttarakhand said on Wednesday.
“While Ajaey Kumar is collecting his belongings to leave for Jaipur, let us see what they do with the other leaders,” he added.
The organisational general secretaries of the BJP in every state are widely believed to be essentially full-time RSS pracharaks. The post was created in 2006 for better coordination between the BJP and the RSS. Sources in the BJP claim the party has been trying to abolish the post against the backdrop of complaints but is facing resistance from the RSS.
Ajaey was sent to Uttarakhand in September 2019. In the 2022 Assembly polls, the BJP won 47 of the 70 seats. In 2024, the party bagged all five Lok Sabha seats in the state. Ajaey was also at the centre of poll management when those close to the BJP won the majority of the seats in the panchayats last year.