NEW DELHI, July 3: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has completed its internal organisational processes, setting the stage for the long-pending election of its next national president. With internal elections now concluded in nearly 20 of its 37 organisational units, the party is expected to soon name a successor to JP Nadda.
On Monday and Tuesday, the BJP conducted elections in seven states, building on polls held earlier in 13 units. The completion of these organisational formalities marks a significant step forward in the party’s preparations to elect a new national chief.
Among the frontrunners are Union Environment and Wildlife Minister Bhupender Yadav, Union Urban Affairs and Power Minister ML Khattar, and Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Sources suggest that Yadav, 56, holds a distinct advantage due to his deep ties with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and his broad organisational experience.
“There is a consensus building around a candidate who understands both the BJP and RSS and can function independently in service of the broader ideological family,” said a senior RSS functionary familiar with the discussions. “This time, the Sangh has insisted on a leader firmly rooted in the ideology.”
Yadav’s career has traversed key ideological and organisational roles. He began in the RSS-affiliated student outfit ABVP and later worked in the legal wing, the Adhivakta Parishad. As a BJP strategist, he has led successful campaigns including the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation polls, and more recently, the 2023 Madhya Pradesh and 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections.
“He is close to both the RSS leadership and the Modi-Shah axis. He also has age on his side and brings a balance of governance and grassroots experience,” a party strategist said.
Still, ML Khattar (71) and Shivraj Singh Chouhan (66) remain in contention. Khattar, a former Haryana chief minister, is known for his long-standing RSS background, while Chouhan brings decades of political experience and mass appeal.
Party insiders, however, do not rule out the possibility of a surprise pick emerging in the final leg.
Meanwhile, newly appointed BJP state chiefs — selected by consensus — reflect the organisational emphasis favoured by the RSS. The list includes Rajeev Bindal in Himachal Pradesh, VP Ramalingam in Puducherry, K Beichhua in Mizoram, Ravindra Chavan in Maharashtra, Mahendra Bhatt in Uttarakhand, Ramchander Rao in Telangana, and PVN Madhav in Andhra Pradesh.
“These appointments show the Sangh’s role in shaping the BJP’s future leadership,” a senior BJP office-bearer said. “Most of these new chiefs are deeply rooted in the organisation and reflect the cadre-based strength the party is banking on.”
JP Nadda, who became BJP president unopposed in January 2020, has continued beyond his original term, which was to end in 2023. He currently holds three high-ranking roles — as BJP national president, Union Minister for Health and Fertilisers, and Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha.
With the party’s internal groundwork now complete, BJP insiders say the leadership transition is imminent — and could potentially signal deeper strategic shifts ahead of key state polls and the 2029 general election.
