BJP’s New President To Be Named by March Last Week—Who Will It Be?

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is expected to appoint its next National President between Holi (March 14) and March 21. Speculation is rife that the announcement will be made before the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's (RSS) highest decision-making body, the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS), meets in Bengaluru from March 21 to 23.

Following its victory in the Delhi Assembly elections, the BJP has intensified efforts to complete organisational elections in at least 50% of the states, a requirement under its constitution before electing a new National President. The saffron party has instructed the selected states to finish the process by March 14.

So far, organisational elections have been concluded in 12 out of the 18 states necessary to meet the 50% threshold. A senior BJP source told leading English Daily indicated that the party is racing against time to ensure elections are completed in the remaining six states within the next few days. "We are working on a war footing and expect to wrap up the process within a week," As reported by News18.

This year's Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha carries additional significance as the RSS gears up for its 100th anniversary celebrations. A senior BJP leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, remarked, "Given the importance of this year's ABPS, the BJP would want its new President in place to ensure smooth coordination between the Sangh and the party."

Organisational elections have already been held in Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Sikkim, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Assam, Chandigarh, Goa, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Meghalaya, and Lakshadweep. However, in states like West Bengal, the process has faced delays, particularly due to the RG Kar protest and uncertainty over the next state president after Sukanta Majumdar's elevation as a Union Minister.

The Delhi elections also contributed to delays, with campaigning peaking in January. Additionally, the Mahakumbh, which ran from January 13 to February 26 in Prayagraj, kept BJP leaders occupied, limiting focus on organisational polls.

As the party moves closer to finalizing its new leader, speculation is mounting over who will succeed J.P. Nadda as the 12th BJP President. Unlike Nadda, who first served as acting president in 2019 before being formally elected in 2020, the next leader will assume the role outright.

With the BJP focusing on expanding its influence in southern India, there is a possibility that the new president could be from the region. Names under consideration include Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy, a former BJP president of Andhra Pradesh, and Daggubati Purandeshwari, the BJP's current chief in the state. While Purandeshwari has the legacy of NT Rama Rao, her ties to TDP Chief N. Chandrababu Naidu could be a potential conflict of interest. Another contender from the South is Vanathi Srinivasan, the BJP Mahila Morcha President and MLA from Coimbatore.

Beyond the southern contenders, names like Dharmendra Pradhan, Vinod Tawde, and Bhupender Yadav have been frequently mentioned due to their strong organisational skills and teamwork abilities.

When asked about the likely successor, a BJP insider quipped, "We know as much as you do. In fact, we check TV or websites to see which names are being floated."