Nitin Nabin appointment as BJP chief likely to be formalised by mid-January

THE BJP is likely to ring in the New year with a new party chief — in all probability formalising the appointment of party’s national working president Nitin Nabin as the national president — succeeding JP Nadda who has been holding the post since January 2020, said sources.

BJP insiders said the requirements for organisational restructuring at the national level have been met, paving the way for the former Bihar minister’s appointment to the highest post in the party by mid-January, and to hold its reins until the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. Nadda will likely complete six years as BJP chief before Nabin’s formal takeover likely by next month, according to the insiders.

“We have conducted organisational polls in 30 out of 36 states/UTs, over 17 lakh of 18 lakh polling booths and over 950 of the 1,050 districts across the country, fulfilling the criteria as per the party’s Constitution; the remaining process too will be followed to the letter,” a senior BJP leader said.

“After the poll dates are announced, the process to elect the (BJP) national president is likely to take around three to four days. This will be followed by the ratification of the choice by the National Council,” the leader said.

“Since the process is likely to be announced around Makar Sankranti (mid-January), the new president will likely be announced by January 20,” a party source said.

The BJP’s constitution mandates organisational elections from the booth-level upwards and requires that more than half the members of smaller sub-units be elected at each level before the election of the senior leaders in the BJP’s organisational hierarchy.

Half the booth-level presidents have to be elected for mandal elections, followed by districts and then state unit presidents. Similarly, 19 of BJP’s 36 State/UT units need to elect presidents before the process for the election of the national president can begin.

Scheduled early next year, the West Bengal elections will be the first test for the new BJP chief, according to party insiders. Nabin has been interacting with senior leaders in the party about the current circumstances related to the BJP’s potential campaign in the state.