The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is engaged in the process of identifying a new party chief as the current incumbent, JP Nadda, has taken up a ministerial role in the Modi 3.0 cabinet, overseeing the Health, Chemicals, and Fertilizers portfolios. Nadda’s term as party president comes to an end later this month.
In 2019, Nadda assumed the position of BJP’s working president and was subsequently elevated to the role of full-time president in January 2020. His three-year tenure was extended in 2023 until June 2024, a move intended to ensure leadership stability during the election year. With Nadda’s induction into Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet, the focus has shifted towards who will succeed him as the BJP’s national president.
Initially, Dharmendra Pradhan and Shivraj Singh Chouhan were considered strong contenders for the position within the BJP. However, their recent appointments as union ministers have effectively ruled out their candidacies. According to a report by News18, BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde, a former minister in the Maharashtra government, is among the frontrunners. Tawde holds significant influence within the BJP’s hierarchy, ranking second only to BL Santosh.
Another potential candidate being mentioned is K Laxman, the chief of the BJP’s OBC Morcha. Hailing from Telangana, the BJP’s next target after Andhra Pradesh, Laxman has previously served as the party’s state president. Other names believed to be in contention include Sunil Bansal, the general secretary responsible for West Bengal, Telangana, and Odisha, and Om Mathur, a Rajya Sabha MP from Rajasthan.
Recognizing the growing influence of women voters, the BJP is also considering the possibility of appointing its first female president, as reported by News18. The party, which appointed Droupadi Murmu as India’s first Dalit woman President, takes pride in its efforts to promote women’s representation in politics. Last year, the BJP convened a special session of Parliament to pass the women’s reservation bill, which aims to ensure that at least 33% of seats in state Legislative Assemblies and the Lok Sabha are reserved for women.
