New Delhi, Oct 28 (IANS): Ahead of the Assembly elections in West Bengal next year, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which hopes to topple the Mamata Banerjee-led government, has made a key appointment of general secretary (organisation) -- a post which is seen to be the link between the BJP and the RSS, its ideological mentor.

Amitava Chakraborty has been appointed for the position. So far, Subrato Chattopadhyay was the state general secretary (organisation) with Kishor Barman as joint general secretary (organisation).

The post is crucial in the BJP's scheme of things as it was specifically created to appoint a pracharak of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Earlier at the national level, B.L. Santosh was appointed after a lot of search when Ram Lal was called back by the RSS. This post, unlike others, holds a lot of significance in terms of the party's organisational set up.

BJP's national general secretary Arun Singh announced the appointment on Wednesday. Party president J.P. Nadda has taken this decision and Chakraborty's appointment comes into effect immediately.

Meanwhile, the BJP has also appointed Vanati Srinivasan, who hails from Tamil Nadu, as the national president of BJP's Mahila Mocha (women's wing).