BJP gets new state chiefs; national president election soon

BJP gets new state chiefs; national president election soon

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is one step closer to electing a new national president.

The party has elected new state chiefs in several states, including V P Ramalingam and K Beichhua as presidents for Puducherry and Mizoram, respectively.

Single nominations have also been filed in Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh, making their elections a mere formality on Tuesday.

BJP to elect new national president

The BJP's constitution mandates the election of its presidents in at least 19 out of its 37 organizational states before electing a national president.

With the recent elections, the party is set to cross this threshold on Tuesday.

This development paves the way for a new national president to replace J P Nadda, who is a Cabinet minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.

New state presidents in these states

So far, the BJP has elected new state presidents in 16 states, with more to be announced soon.

Notably, Ravindra Chavan, a four-term MLA and working president of the Maharashtra BJP, will replace Chandrashekhar Bawankule as president.

In Uttarakhand, Rajya Sabha MP Mahendra Bhatt will continue his term as president.

The party has opted for seasoned organizational leaders with low public profiles in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh—Ramchander Rao and PVN Madhav, respectively.

Controversies and strategic moves

Rao's appointment has sparked controversy, with Hindutva leader T Raja Singh resigning from the party in protest.

Rao's elevation, despite his low profile in the Telangana organization, is viewed as a balancing act as well as a reward for long-serving employees.

Meanwhile, the decision to replace Andhra Pradesh president Daggubati Purandeswari with Madhav is seen as a strategic move to strengthen the party's presence in the state.

Madhav's appointment gives the BJP a foothold in backward classes.