Mangal Pandey, an aide of Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, was today elected Bihar BJP chief even as supporters of outgoing president C P Thakur opposed refusal of a second term to the sulking leader.

Pandey, the sole contender for the post, was elected at the party’s state council meeting here attended by a galaxy of central and state leaders, including Thakur, whose supporters created ruckus and raised slogans at the airport for not giving a second term to the 81 year-old leader.

Thakur’s supporters shouted slogans against BJP in-charge of Bihar unit Anant Kumar and co-incharge Dharmendra Pradhan.

Pandey’s election was announced by Poll Officer Arti Mehra and was welcomed by hundreds of party workers.

Thakur, who had stayed away from the party office yesterday sulking at the central leadership’s decision not to grant him a second term, was among the senior BJP leaders to bless 44-year-old Pandey.

Others present were senior party leaders Ravi Shankar Prasad, Shatrughan Sinha, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Syed Shahnawaz Hussain and several ministers in the NDA government in the state including Modi, besides Kumar and Pradhan.

BJP leaders appeared to have burnt the midnight oil to persuade Thakur to attend the state council meet for approval of Pandey’s election to send a message of unity within the party.

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