After Bihar verdict: Winning run may restart race for BJP president post

NEW DELHI: After a brief pause during intense campaigning for Bihar polls, attention has swiftly turned to one of the BJP's longest-pending decisions - the election of a new national president to succeed J P Nadda.The Bihar polls, which saw NDA secure a landslide victory with over two-thirds majority in the 243-seat House, have not only boosted party morale but also accelerated talks about internal leadership transitions.The first indication of the possibility of the transition coming soon was seen on Thursday when organisational poll in-charge K Laxman, a Rajya Sabha MP and head of party's OBC Morcha, was seen holding consultations with colleagues at the party headquarters.Nadda has been at the helm of the party since Jan 2020. His initial three-year term was repeatedly extended - first until June 2024 for Lok Sabha elections, and then again amid organisational delays - to ensure stability during key electoral battles. Nadda's tenure officially ended last year, but extensions have kept him in place, leading to growing impatience within the ranks.BJP's constitution mandates a structured process for electing a new president.

Organisational polls must first be completed in at least half of the party's 37 state units - requiring elections in 19 states - before the national election can proceed. As of mid-2025, the party had crossed this threshold by appointing new state chiefs in key regions like Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Telangana, Andhra, Puducherry, and Mizoram.

However, indecision persists in UP.Sources have indicated that a leader in his early fifties, with organisational experience, will be given the responsibility to helm the party with a long term vision.The party has already made the transition in the states, districts and at mandal level as most of office-bearers appointed recently are below 50 years of age. Sources have indicated that the leadership transition will be followed by the first Cabinet reshuffle of PM Modi's third term.Several names - including those of Union ministers Manohar Lal Khattar, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Dharmendra Pradhan and Bhupender Yadav - had been doing the rounds.