Amid hiccups in states, election of new BJP chief is hanging fire

The current BJP national president, J P Nadda, has been on an extension since June last year, when he was also inducted as a Cabinet minister in the Narendra Modi-led NDA government 3.0.

The BJP’s state units are currently engaged in holding Tiranga Yatra and other public outreach programmes to highlight the success of Operation Sindoor.

However, BJP sources admit, while that is partly the reason, differences within several state units have also led to a delay in the election of their chiefs.

This was recently seen in Madhya Pradesh, one of the states awaiting a new BJP chief, when some BJP MLAs attacked the Mohan Yadav-led party government publicly. “Because of growing complaints against the government and ministers, it’s a precarious situation here – and it (the complaints) have reached the top leadership,” says a senior state BJP leader. “Only intervention from the Central leadership can resolve it. So the task of picking a new president is not easy.”

A Madhya Pradesh BJP office-bearer said there have been several complaints of “corruption and favouritism” against the state government. “Once such a perception is created, it can be difficult to change it. So the party has to take remedial measures,” he said.

While BJP Guna MLA Panna Lal Shakya has alleged “favouritism” in the local administration, the party MLA from neighbouring Shivpuri, Devendra Jain, has claimed corruption.

The state BJP has even issued a show-cause notice to its Alot MLA, Chintamani Malviya, over his public criticism of the Mohan Yadav government’s acquisition of land in the Ujjain Simhastha area, saying it “damaged” the image of the party and government, sources said.

The term of the current BJP chief, V D Sharma, got over some time back and he is on an extension.

Even in Gujarat, where the BJP is strongly entrenched with a robust organisation and discipline, the election of the state chief has run into internal differences.

A BJP MP said, “The party leadership has not been able to take a call whether it wants a leader like C R Patil (the current Gujarat BJP chief) or a low-profile face.” Patil, considered to be close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had taken over the reins of the Gujarat BJP replacing Jitu Vaghani, a prominent Patidar leader who kept a low profile.

Sources said Patil has been an “assertive leader” as the state chief. But he is currently holding a dual role as Union Jal Shakti Minister and state party president, and with his attention divided, various rows involving state leaders are said to have come to the boil.

Rajkot BJP organisation in-charge Dhaval Dave was recently accused of “impropriety” in making appointment to party positions. Sabarkantha BJP leader Bhupendrasinh Zala’s name was linked to an alleged ponzi scandal. Also, the two sons of state minister Bachubhai Khabad were recently arrested in connection with an alleged Rs 75 crore scam related to MGNREGA.

“Some discontent among second-rung leaders and the cadre is bringing up many issues lying dormant for some time,” said a BJP leader, adding that the BJP’s aura of being disciplined and “a party with a difference” has taken a dent.

In Uttar Pradesh, the most politically crucial state in the country, as well, the issue of the selection of the new party president is not resolved yet. “It appears the central leadership is caught in a Catch-22 situation – on one side the popularity and acceptance of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is so evident that it cannot ignore him. At the same time, an influential section of leaders, mostly from OBCs, are seeking a change at the top, which cannot be overlooked,” said a party MP from UP.

He said the BJP “cannot afford to disappoint the OBCs” as they have been a significant support base of the party in the last few elections and also “because Akhilesh (Yadav of the SP) used the OBC card against the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections”. The BJP had faced a setback in UP in the Lok Sabha polls, when its tally came down to 33 from 63 in 2019.

While the poll-bound Assam, Kerala and Tamil Nadu have got new BJP presidents, West Bengal, which is also going to elections next year and which figures on top of the party’s priority list, is yet to have a new chief. “There have been lot of discussions and some names have been proposed from the Bengal unit. But the central leadership has not taken a decision,” said a party source from Bengal.

BJP leaders said the tussle in Bengal between veterans like Dilip Ghosh and “newcomers” like Suvendu Adhikari has been an issue in the party. “While Adhikari puts up an aggressive face for the BJP, he does not have a strong backing of the cadre,” the source said. Although names like Jyotirmay Singh Mahato (Purulia MP) and Jagannath Chattopadhyay are doing the rounds as possible candidates, some leaders are not ruling out the possibility of current party chief Sukanta Majumdar continuing in the post despite being inducted into the Modi ministry in June last year.

Internal tensions are also causing a delay in the appointment of the Telangana BJP chief. While incumbent president G Kishan Reddy, Union minister, is likely to be replaced soon, party sources admitted that it is going to be a “tough task” considering the feuds between some leaders. Former state chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar, who is also a Union minister, appears to be keen on focusing on state politics. Etala Rajender, an influential BRS leader who joined the BJP in 2021, is also favoured by a section for the post, even though another section dismisses him for being an “outsider”.