NEW DELHI: Posts of party president and general secretary (organization) are likely to see new faces.
The coming days are likely to see two critical appointments related to the Bharatiya Janata Party—that of the national president and of general secretary (organization).
The incumbent party president, Jagat Prakash Nadda, whose tenure was extended in January 2023, is expected to relinquish his position soon.
Similarly, the post of general secretary (organization), which is presently held by Karnataka-based Bommarabettu Laxmijanardhana Santhosh, who has been in this crucial position and on deputation to the BJP from the RSS since July 2019 while completing two terms, is also due for a shuffle.
As per RSS functionaries, the unwritten rule in RSS is that a swayamsevak should be recalled to the parent organization after two stints. The 13 years of B.L. Santosh’s predecessor, Ram Lal, from 2006-2019 was seen as an exception to this rule.
Party sources said that the new name to replace Nadda will not be delayed as three Assembly elections are slated for this year (Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Haryana), for which the presence of a full-time party president is paramount, given the fact that Nadda is now the Union Health Minister, a position that requires full-time monitoring.
None of these three states are being perceived as an “easy” election by BJP insiders.
News related to the post of general secretary organization is closely followed across political parties and civil society as this gives an idea about how things will move within the BJP.
Apart from playing the role of coordinator between the RSS and the BJP, general secretary (organization) is considered among the most vital positions in the present scheme of things after the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi), Home Minister (Amit Shah) and the party president while taking crucial decisions related to shuffling of party officials from one role to another. He is also expected to give impartial feedback regarding the party’s preparation for the polls and inputs on candidate selections.
Among those who have handled this position in the recent past include BJP stalwart Kushabhau Thakre and PM Modi himself.
Party sources say that given the recent developments, the names of Sunil Ambekar (Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh, RSS) and another prominent functionary from Bihar are doing the rounds to replace Santosh. However, these names are limited to the realm of discussion among party functionaries and, as has happened in the past so many times, a new candidate whose name is not in circulation can emerge as the surprise candidate.