NEW DELHI: All suspense surrounding the new national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is expected to end either by the end of June or in early July, with the expected final selection of a candidate through a consensus within the party’s constitutional framework for the post.
The BJP central leadership is in the process of completing all organisational formalities required for the election of the new party president. Currently, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, J P Nadda, is serving as the incumbent president, now in his second extended term.
A senior reliable source told this newspaper on the sidelines of an interaction programme held to mark the completion of 11 years of the Modi government, “We are not going to further prolong the election of a new national president. In a majority of states, organisational elections have been completed and office bearers have been elected, and in the remaining a few states, soon would be completed."
A central election team will be formed by the central unit to oversee the election process, including the nomination and selection of a candidate through consensus, in line with the party’s organisational traditions.
Although the BJP often springs surprises in major selections or decisions, sources have indicated that the names of eight Union Ministers and three others are currently being considered as probable candidates in the race.
Union Ministers Dharamendra Pradhan, Manohar Lal Khattar, Bhupender Yadav, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Pralhad Joshi, Nitin Gadkari, and G. Kishan Reddy are said to be doing the rounds in political corridors within the Saffron Party.
Apart from them, Andhra Pradesh BJP chief Daggubati Purandeswari, Vanathi Srinivasan (BJP Mahila Morcha), Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, Dr Dileep Jaiswal (Bihar), Sunil Bansal, Tarun Chugh, and Vinod Tawde are also featuring in discussions.
Sources said that the new party president is almost sure to be elected before the commencement of the Monsoon session, which is scheduled from July 21 to August 12.
"It is believed that the consent of RSS, which is an ideological mentor to BJP, would also be considered on forming a consensus on any candidate to be elected as successor to JP Nadda", said a BJP source.