Kailash Vijayvargiya

Kailash Vijayvargiya (born May 13, 1956 in Indore, Madhya Pradesh), popularly called "Bhai" or "Bhiya" (big brother) in local circles, is currently serving as National General Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He started his political career in the Indore Bharatiya Janata Party, and was the Mayor of Indore, a six-time legislator who has never lost an assembly election, and a state government cabinet minister for over 12 years before being elevated to the party's central leadership.
Vijavargiya was made in-charge of BJP's election campaign for Haryana in 2014; after which BJP gained a majority in the assembly election. This victory would allow him to gain a more central role in party leadership, and in June 2015 he was appointed National General Secretary by Party President Amit Shah, and the new leader of the BJP in West Bengal.

Political career

Vijayvargiya entered politics through Vidyarthi Parishad in 1975. He became a Corporator of the Indore Municipal Corporation in 1983 and a member of the Standing Committee in 1985. He has been the State Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), the BJP, and Indore, and the Coordinator of State BJP Legal Cell. He became the State Coordinator of Vidyarthi Parishad in 1985, State Vice-President of the BJYM in 1992, and the National General Secretary of the BJYM and the leader of Gujarat in 1993. Vijayvargiya was elected to the Vidhan Sabha in 1990, 1993, 1998, 2003, 2008, and 2013.

He was in charge of the BJP's Haryana state assembly election campaign in 2014, when the party registered its first win in the Haryana state assembly election, taking BJP's tally from 4 to 47 seats. He was named the National General Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party as well as the party leader for West Bengal in 2015.

Mayoral stint

Vijayvargiya became the first directly-elected Mayor of Indore Municipal Corporation in 2000. He was nominated President of the South Asia Mayors’ Council in 2003, and led the Indian Voluntary Organisation’s team at the World Earth Summit in Durban.

In state administration

Vijayvargiya was sworn-in as Cabinet Minister in Madhya Pradesh Government on December 8, 2008, and given portfolios of Public Works, Parliamentary Affairs, Urban Administration and Development. He was given a portfolio of Religious Trusts, Endowment, and Rehabilitation on July 1, 2004. Vijayvargiya again joined Shri Babulal Gaur’s Council of Ministers as Public Works Minister on August 27, 2004. He was re-inducted into Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s Council of Ministers on December 4, 2005, as a Public Works, Information Technology, and Science & Technology Minister.

In the second cabinet under Shivraj Singh Chauhan (post-2008 elections), Vijayvargiya held portfolios of IT and Industries. In the third cabinet (post-2013 elections), Vijayvargiya held the portfolio of Urban Development.