BHUBANESWAR : With Delhi election over, the countdown has started for election of the new state president of BJP. The core committee is set to meet here on Friday with the objective of selecting a consensus candidate for the post.
National BJP general secretary Tarun Chug will be in the city exclusively for the meeting while Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Jual Oram are also likely to be present. BJP’s co-in-charge for Odisha, Vijay Pal Singh Tomar has already arrived here, so also national vice-president Baijayant Panda.
Sources, however, said some members of the core committee may not make it because of their preoccupation in New Delhi. “The agenda to be discussed at the meeting has not been revealed but selection of a consensus candidate will take precedence over other issues,” the sources said.
It has been a practice for the BJP to send at least two to three names to the central election committee for consideration. However, this time only one name will be selected, subject to final approval from the central leadership, said a leader privy to the information.
“The situation is still fluid and everyone is in dark as to who will be the choice of the central leadership to lead the party in the state. After Prime Minister Narendra Modi returns from the US, it will be clear when the date for election of the national president will be finalised,” the sources said.
With the BJP announcing presidents for 23 organisational districts on January 26, the state has become eligible to elect its state president. Although the party has already sent a list of probable presidents for the remaining 14 districts to the central committee for approval more than a week ago, there has been no confirmation from Delhi yet.
The core committee is also likely to discuss issues of cabinet expansion, political appointment to various government corporations and public-sector undertakings.