2024 polls: Nadda announces major rejig in BJP's central leadership
As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continues its preparations ahead of the much-anticipated 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the party's National President JP Nadda announced a major reshuffle in the saffron brigade's central office bearers on Saturday. Following the rejig, the BJP now has 13 vice presidents, nine general secretaries, and 13 national secretaries, said reports.
Why does this story matter?
After losing Karnataka to the Congress, the saffron brigade is now gearing up to win the upcoming assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Rajasthan, and Telangana. Meanwhile, the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), comprising opposition parties that have vowed to fight together to dethrone the BJP at the Centre in the 2024 general election, has further added pressure on the saffron camp.
Bandi Sanjay, Radha Mohan Agarwal get major responsibility
While Rajya Sabha MP Radha Mohan Agarwal and former Telangana BJP President Bandi Sanjay got appointed national general secretaries, Uttar Pradesh MLC and former Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) vice-chancellor Tariq Mansoor has been made a vice president. Significantly, Mansoor's appointment is viewed as the party's strategic move to tap into the vote bank of Pasmanda Muslims.
Saroj Pandey gets national vice president role
Former Congress leader Anil Antony, who recently joined the BJP, has been included in the list of national secretaries alongside Assam's top saffron brigade leader Kamakhya Prasad Tasa. On the other hand, other key leaders like Saroj Pandey and Saudan Singh were included in the team as a national vice president and joint general secretary (organization), respectively, in the latest rejig.
Major leader dropped by BJP
Among those who got the ax on Saturday were Karnataka leader CT Ravi and Lok Sabha MP Dilip Saikia as its general secretaries. Sources in the know told PTI that the BJP has indicated these two may contest the Lok Sabha elections next year. Former Union Minister and Lok Sabha MP from Bihar Radha Mohan Singh has also been removed as a vice president.
Latest list of national office bearers shared by BJP
Significance of BJP's rejig
This overhaul comes just a few weeks after the saffron brigade appointed new state presidents in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Punjab. It follows a series of discussions between top BJP leaders like Nadda, Union Home Affairs Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah, and National General Secretary BL Santhosh. According to The Indian Express, Nadda chaired a meeting of office bearers on Friday.
