BJP Sets Stage for New Leadership as State Election Officers Appointed

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday appointed 'state election officers' to supervise its internal elections across three major states: Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal. These appointments entrust significant responsibilities to Union ministers Kiren Rijiju, Harsh Malhotra, and former minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.

Their new roles involve steering the election process for state presidents and national council members, as confirmed by K Laxman, the national returning officer for the party's organizational elections. This strategic move is part of a broader effort to finalize the party's organizational elections, which would ultimately lead to electing a new national president, succeeding the incumbent J P Nadda.

With the BJP needing to complete elections in at least 19 out of 37 organizational states, the appointment of state election officers is pivotal. Despite progress in 14 states, leadership positions remain open in key regions like Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat. The national president's term, extended due to 2024 Lok Sabha elections, ties into this ongoing electoral process initiated with a membership campaign last year.

(With inputs from agencies.)