NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party is set to announce the consensus candidate for the party’s new national president after Independence Day, following the completion of organisational elections in some states. The delay in selecting the new president has created an unfavourable impression, even among party cadres.
The RSS – the ideological mentor of the BJP – has reportedly advised reaching a consensus on a candidate with organisational experience and a neutral stance within the party. Sources also stated that the BJP has zeroed in on four potential candidates, all of whom have organisational experience.
Union ministers Bhupendra Yadav, Dharmendra Pradhan, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and senior BJP leader BD Sharma are said to be the front-runners as they meet the criteria for the post.
The party is preparing to first call a meeting of its central council to build a consensus around one of the names under consideration.
“Now, it seems almost sure that the name of the party’s new national president would be announced after August 15,” a senior source said on Thursday evening.
Meanwhile, Dr K. Laxman, who is the national election in-charge for the election of the new party president, told the media that organisational elections in 10 states, including Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and others, are being completed and, as such, no deadline has been fixed for announcing the name of the candidate.
“But soon the election to the party’s national president would be completed after a massive voting exercise conducted at over 10 lakh booths,” he remarked. He also said that booth in-charges for nearly 7.5 lakh organisational polling booths have so far been appointed out of a total of 10 lakh across all levels.