NEW DELHI: The BJP on Friday released the schedule for the election of the party’s national president amid speculation that working national president Nitin Nabin is likely to be elected for the post unopposed.
The nomination for the election of the party chief can be filed between 2 pm and 4 pm on January 19 and the nominations can be withdrawn by the candidates between 5 pm and 6 pm the same day, according to the notification issued by BJP national returning officer K Laxman Laxman. “The scrutiny of the documents of the candidates’ nomination papers will be carried out between 4 pm and 5 pm on January 19,” the notification said.
The polling will be held “if needed” on January 20 and an official announcement of the name of the new elected BJP national president will be made on the same day, said Laxman, who is also a BJP Rajya Sabha MP and the national president of the party’s OBC Morcha. The entire poll process will be held at the party headquarters.
According to party sources, Nitin Nabin is most likely to be elected unopposed as the party chief as it is unlikely that any other party leader will enter the fray. “Nabin is likely to replace JP Nadda as BJP’s president, with the party’s top leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, backing Nabin’s candidature,” said a senior party leader aware of the development. However, organisational election formalities will be completed in keeping with established party tradition, the leader said.
Nadda was first appointed BJP national working president in June 2019 and later elected unopposed as the national president on January 20, 2020, succeeding Shah.
At 45, Nabin is regarded as a sharp political strategist with a reputation for working in a neutral and balanced manner.