BJP likely to get new national president by February 2025, no clarity on candidates yet

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is likely to get its new national president by February next year to replace incumbent JP Nadda. The polling process in the ongoing organisational election is expected to be completed in more than half of its state units by mid-January, news agency PTI reported citing party leaders. 

A senior leader said that the tenure of around 60 per cent of the saffron party's state presidents is over and their replacements are expected to be in place by mid-January. As per the BJP's constitution, the organisational polls should be completed in at least half of its state units before the process to elect the national president is elected. 

"We expect that a new BJP president will assume the charge by the end of February," the functionary said. As of now, the party has not officially announced any candidates for the position. 

Reports, however, suggest that Nadda's successor could either be a Union minister or someone from within the party's organisational structure. Nadda took over the reins of the party from Amit Shah in February 2020. JP Nadda is also the Union Health Minister in the NDA government 3.0. 

Though the tenure of a party president lasts 3 years, Nadda was given an extension in view of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP-led NDA returned to power for a third straight term with Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister. 

Another highlight of Nadda's stint as the BJP president is the saffron party's hattrick in Haryana and its landslide victory in Maharashtra. 

In Haryana, the BJP surprised political pundits and observers alike as it secured 48 of the total 90 assembly seats in the northern state. In Maharashtra, the BJP scripted history along with its allies -- Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). 

The BJP won 132 seats in the state, followed by Shiv Sena at 57 and the NCP at 41. With this, the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance in the state bagged a total of 230 seats. Moreover, the BJP was also able to secure a decisive victory in states like Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan in 2023.