Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Aug 22: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is likely to announce a new National President before the Bihar Assembly election dates are declared, sources said on Friday. The party is expected to contest the crucial polls under fresh national leadership, though the selection process has been delayed for several reasons.

According to sources, extensive consultations have taken place over the past weeks. Senior BJP leaders and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) have sought inputs from nearly 100 top figures, including former party chiefs, senior Union Ministers, and leaders associated with both the party and the Sangh who have held constitutional posts.

Another reason for the delay is the upcoming vice-presidential election on September 9, necessitated by the resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar. The BJP is focusing on ensuring its nominee, Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan, secures maximum support in the polls.

The party is also waiting to complete elections for state unit presidents in key states like Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Karnataka. As per the BJP Constitution, at least 19 of 36 state and union territory units must have elected chiefs before the National President can be chosen. While elections have been concluded in 28 states, Haryana, Delhi, Jharkhand, Punjab, and Manipur are still pending. In Punjab, however, a working president has been appointed.

Incumbent party chief JP Nadda, first elected in January 2020, has already received two extensions—one ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and another due to ongoing organisational restructuring.

Meanwhile, the BJP has also applied similar reforms at the mandal level, introducing an age cap of 40 to promote next-generation leaders. For district and state chiefs, candidates must have at least ten years of active BJP membership, a move aimed at addressing dissatisfaction among workers over the prominence of leaders who switched from other parties.