Several state units have not concluded their organisational polls.
New Delhi: The process of election of a new national BJP president is likely to be delayed as several of the state units have not concluded their organisational elections.
Several of BJP state units are in the process of holding organisational elections at the polling booth and block levels. According to party sources, these elections will take some more time. State presidents would be elected only after Makar Sankranti (14 January), which is considered as an auspicious period.
Therefore, the national elections, involving the post of the president of the party, are likely to be held in the last week of January or early February.
It is to be noted that, as per the party Constitution, election for the national president cannot take place unless and until 50% of the states elect their president.
As the current BJP president Amit Shah is now serving as the Union Home Minister, it is expected that there would be a new face for the national president’s post. The party had appointed J.P. Nadda as its working president to take care of the day-to-day responsibilities of its organisational affairs till the time a new president is elected.
There is a possibility that Nadda may succeed Amit Shah.
The BJP had announced that the party would conclude its organisational elections in December, but many states are yet to conclude this exercise. This has delayed the election to the national council, which would hold the election for the party president’s post. The process for the organisational elections had started on 11 September.
Sources said there are several factors which have resulted in the delay in organisational elections, which include festivals and Assembly elections.
Senior BJP leaders who have been assigned to oversee organisational elections in states will soon start visiting their regions and hold consultations with party workers.
There is speculation that the states where the presidents have completed two terms will be changed in order to groom new leadership.
At present, the party is holding elections only at the polling booth level in Haryana, while block level polls have been conducted in Bihar. The exercise has been delayed in Maharashtra and Jharkhand due to Assembly elections.
BJP chief Amit Shah has completed his full term of three years along with the remaining tenure of his predecessor Rajnath Singh.