BJP’s organisational election process, stalled by Operation Sindoor, is set to resume by June.
NEW DELHI: Due to Operation Sindoor, the BJP’s organisational election process had been stalled, but it is expected to resume next month. According to party sources, elections are still ongoing in some states. By June, elections for the remaining state presidents are likely to be completed. After that, the process for selecting the national president will begin.
As per the BJP constitution, the national president can only be elected after more than half of the states have elected their state presidents.
This process was originally scheduled to be completed by December 31 but was repeatedly delayed. The deadline was extended to January 31; however, internal factional politics and caste-based considerations in states like Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh caused further setbacks.
The Kumbh Mela in February also disrupted the election process. In Uttar Pradesh, elections were delayed by nearly two months. Even after resuming, only district and block-level elections could be carried out promptly. The party faced challenges in balancing caste dynamics, especially as the opposition, including the Congress, focused heavily on caste politics. This made the BJP cautious, particularly in Hindi-speaking states like Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Madhya Pradesh.
Currently, J.P. Nadda, a Brahmin, serves as the national president. The decision regarding the next president is being significantly influenced by caste considerations. However, the situation shifted after Operation Sindoor—a nationalistic campaign launched following the Pahalgam terror attack. Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded to the opposition’s demand for a caste census, but then strategically redirected focus toward nationalism.
Although Rahul Gandhi continues to raise backward-caste issues, BJP strategists are carefully balancing both nationalism and caste-based political strategies.
In states like Uttar Pradesh, the individual chosen as state president will likely lead the party into the next Assembly election in two years, making the selection of a Brahmin face more complex. In Uttarakhand, a Brahmin leader is expected, while in Madhya Pradesh—dominated by upper-caste leadership for 23 years—a member from the Vaishya (trader) community may be considered this time.
State elections in Haryana, Delhi, Maharashtra, and Jharkhand are still pending. The decision for Bengal has also been delayed. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has taken charge of expediting these state-level elections. Once the process in Tamil Nadu is finalised, decisions for the remaining states will follow. Amid rising tensions with Pakistan, the party is expected to finalise state presidents by early June, after which the election process for the new national president will commence.