Decks cleared for BJP rejig, Nitin Nabin’s new team to reflect ‘inclusive’ Sangh Privar

New Delhi, Jan 06 Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma pays a courtesy call on BJP National Working President Nitin Nabin (left), in New Delhi on Tuesday. (@BhajanlalBjp X/ANI Photo)

The stage seems to be set for the ruling BJP to undertake its organisational restructuring at the national level in the coming days. This is going to start with the newly appointed BJP national working president Nitin Nabin, 45, being formally elected as the party chief, which is expected to take place around mid-January.

The youngest leader to occupy the top BJP organisational post, Nabin, who is the five-time Bihar MLA and ex-minister, will succeed J P Nadda, who has been holding the post of the BJP national president since January 2020.

Nabin’s election will be ratified by the BJP’s National Council at its meeting, which is expected to be held by the end of this month, party sources said.

After taking charge as the BJP chief, Nabin is expected to undertake an organisational reshuffle to put in place his new team, which is likely to be an “inclusive” exercise, sources said. “The new national president’s team is expected to reflect synergy and coordination between the BJP and the Sangh Parivar,” a BJP insider said.

This process involving an overhaul across the BJP’s organisational ranks may also lead to a reshuffle in the Union Cabinet, the party insider said, pointing out that there has not been any rejig in the  since its formation in June 2024.

“The BJP-led NDA government has been reviewing the functioning of the central ministries and departments. A Cabinet reshuffle is expected soon, which is likely to accommodate faces from a younger, second-rung leadership as well as the Jat community whose dwindling representation in both the government and the organisation is also one of the points under the consideration of our high command,” the party insider said.

Nabin, who has already stepped up to improve the relations and coordination between the BJP and its ideological mentor RSS, is also expected to ensure “active coordination” between the central government and the party-led state governments, party sources said.

The BJP and the RSS are going to review the functioning of the party-led state governments and discuss several new appointments in the organisation and government or quasi-government bodies, including various commissions, sources said. “This would pave the way for several senior state BJP leaders to occupy organisational or governmental roles at the central level, especially those who have been associated with the Sangh Parivar for a long time,” a party leader said.

“Many such leaders, including those who have been with the party for the entirety of their public life, are likely to be accommodated from states such as Bihar as well as those which are up for polls in the coming months, including West Bengal, Assam, Kerala and Uttar Pradesh,” the BJP leader said.

Sources said during the recent coordination meetings of the BJP and the RSS, the latter underscored the point that leaders who have been associated with the Sangh Parivar for three-four decades but have not been accommodated in the organisation, government or any other public institutions should be identified for induction there. Nabin is among a group of senior BJP leaders coordinating this exercise.

“Our focus is on giving key roles to those who have dedicated their entire lives for the cause of the BJP and the Sangh. This exercise is continuing but it would have only a handful of windows for announcements,” BJP sources said.

“Most of the significant appointments are expected after Makar Sankranti until the commencement of the Budget Session that would get underway from early February. Another timeframe for this process is likely before the announcement of the upcoming round of the state elections,” sources added.