Panaji: As the term of the state
BJP president
comes to an end this month, the party is likely to consider a younger person to take over its reins.
“The process to elect a new state president will commence from Sep,” incumbent
party president
and Rajya Sabha MP Sadanand Shet Tanavade told TOI.
While there are already aspirants in the party looking to lead its
state unit
, BJP wants to give an opportunity to a
second-line leader
, sources said.
Tanavade was elected president of the state unit in Jan 2020 for three years. Ahead of the
Lok Sabha election
, the BJP national executive extended his tenure till June.
Now, with the induction of BJP
national president
J P Nadda into PM Modi’s cabinet, the ball has been set rolling to elect a new national president too.
A core committee member said that the
election process
will start from the booth level, and it will take over three months for the party to elect its new state president. A senior BJP member said that as per the party’s constitution, the booth-level election will be followed by mandal-level and district-level elections.
“Before the president is elected, BJP will elect 11-member booth committees in all 40 constituencies, then 31-member mandal committees, and then two district committees,” the core committee member said. “Over 50% of the booth and mandal committee elections, as well as one district committee election, has to be completed to elect the state president.”
Another senior functionary spoke of the importance of
consensus
when choosing a new state chief. “Until and unless there is consensus on the name, it is difficult for any aspirant to get elected state president,” he said.
BJP has always elected its president unanimously, and there is only one nomination for the post of BJP president, a senior functionary said.
A political observer said that with the recently-concluded Lok Sabha elections, and given the results, BJP would try to select a candidate who can bridge the gap between the party and minorities ahead of the 2027 assembly election. “It would be interesting to see if BJP comes to a consensus on the naming of a senior leader, or whether they give an opportunity to a youth to take the party ahead.”
Within the party ranks, members are discussing the pros and cons of the second line of leaders being given the opportunity to lead the state unit. “Even if state leaders decide on a name, it has to be vetted by the BJP central leadership, else the entire exercise will be futile,” a senior functionary said.
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