The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is closing-in on its next national president face with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) holding extensive consulation with leaders and probable picks.
According to a report, the BJP may make a formal announcement after the September 9 vice presidential polls and before the announcement of the Bihar assembly election schedule.
Extensive Consultations Underway
According to an NDTV report, the selection, which has been delayed due to multiple reasons, is now nearing closure. The report said that senior leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), along with its ideological parent organisation, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), have reached out to around 100 prominent figures to seek suggestions for names.
The consultations include former BJP presidents, senior Union ministers, and leaders linked to either the BJP or the RSS who have previously held key constitutional positions.
State Presidents Selection
Notably, the party also wants to put in place all state presidents before the election of the national president. The BJP has yet to appoint presidents for some of its key state units, including Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and Karnataka. In line with the partys constitution, all state leadershipthrough fresh elections where necessarymust be in place before the selection of a new National President.
According to the partys rules, at least 19 of its 36 state and union territory units must have an elected chief before the national head can be chosen. At present, besides UP, Gujarat, and Karnataka, the states of Haryana, Delhi, Jharkhand, Punjab, and Manipur are also pending. In Punjab, however, the party has appointed a working president to hold charge until a full-time chief is selected.
JP Nadda’s Extension
JP Nadda continues as the BJPs national president even though his tenure formally ended in 2024 after the Lok Sabha elections. The process of choosing his successor has stalled due to multiple factors delays in state-level organisational elections, the need for a green light from the RSS, efforts to strike the right caste balance in tune with public sentiment, and other undisclosed reasons. As a result, the election of a new party chief remains in limbo.