NEW DELHI: The BJP has asked all chief ministers of BJP-ruled states, state unit presidents and other senior leaders to assemble at the party headquarters in Delhi on Monday to take part in the process for the election of the party’s national president.
Although working national president Nitin Nabin is most likely to be made the party president, the BJP intends to turn his elevation into a major display of organisational unity, said party leaders familiar with the matter.
“The party has already made arrangements to appoint Nitin Nabin as national president after securing the consent of nearly all members of the electoral college, which comprises 5,078 members. However, the formal election process will be completed as per procedure,” a senior BJP leader said on Sunday. According to the notification issued by BJP national returning officer K Laxman Laxman, 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for the election of the party chief can be filed between 2 pm and 4 pm on January 19 and the nominations can be withdrawn by the candidates between 5 pm and 6 pm the same day.
The scrutiny of the nomination papers will be carried out between 4 pm and 5 pm on January 19. The polling will be held if needed on January 20 and the name of the new elected BJP national president will be announced on the same day, the notification said.
A senior BJP leader said, “All chief ministers will be present on the occasion. In addition, all BJP state unit presidents and other prominent party leaders will also attend the election process for the party president.”
The BJP national president is elected by an electoral college comprising representatives from the party’s national council and state councils.
According to the BJP constitution, any 20 members of the electoral college from a state can jointly propose the name of a candidate for the post of national president, provided the person has been an active member for four years and has at least 15 years of membership. Such a joint proposal must come from no fewer than five states where elections to the national council have been completed, the constitution stipulates.