BJP eyes central, state teams’ rejig to boost presence at booth levels

“There is likelihood of the party president being given a year’s extension, and there’s been talk of a national team with additional members being put in place to carry out extensive programmes that have been drawn up for the Lok Sabha polls and the state elections that will either precede the elections or take place soon after,” a BJP leader said, seeking anonymity.

The Bharatiya Janata Party leadership is looking at expanding and making some changes to its team of office bearers at the central and state levels, as it sets about strengthening the party’s presence at the booth level across the country ahead of the 2024 general election, said functionaries aware of the details.

A team with additions and few possible changes is expected to be in place before January, when party president JP Nadda completes his term and likely receives an extension. (PTI)

A team with few additions and possible changes is expected to be in place before January, when party president JP Nadda completes his term and likely receives an extension.

“There is likelihood of the party president being given a year’s extension, and there’s been talk of a national team with additional members being put in place to carry out extensive programmes that have been drawn up for the Lok Sabha polls and the state elections that will either precede the elections or take place soon after,” a BJP leader said, seeking anonymity.

At present, the team of national office bearers includes 12 vice presidents, nine general secretaries, one general secretary (organisation), one joint general secretary (organisation), and 13 secretaries, besides the treasurer and the morcha (the women’s and youth wings) chiefs. There is a possibility of more leaders being inducted as general secretaries, secretaries and in-charges of specific departments such as the media cell.

“Increasing the number of functionaries requires amending the party constitution, but a few members can be added without doing so too,” the leader said. A committee to examine the issue of amendment to the constitution was set up, but the report has not yet been made public.

The BJP has embarked on a massive outreach programme, deputing senior leaders, lawmakers and union ministers to constituencies across the country where the party did not perform well in the 2014 and 2019 general elections. Apart from ensuring the implementation and delivery of central schemes and programmes in 144 such constituencies, the leaders are expected to address issues that can affect the party’s prospects , such as rising costs of essentials and lack of employment.

“The BJP has grown into the world’s largest political entity with about 160 million members , and it is natural that the number of office bearers and in-charges will also increase correspondingly,” said a second functionary. “Since the party has set its sights on covering areas that have not been our traditional strongholds, we will need more leaders to drive the expansion campaign.”

More leaders at the national and state level are also expected to buttress the outreach programmes as they can be the link between the visiting leaders and the state cadre.

In addition to newer members being given charge of specific responsibilities, the party leadership could also be looking at reshuffling some duties. “In the past few months, there have been some changes with the appointment of new state in-charges, which is indicative of some members either being given new charge or being dropped from the national team,” the first functionary said.

In September, the party appointed new in-charges for about a dozen states; and national general secretaries Kailash Vijayvargia and D Purandeshwari were relieved as in-charges of West Bengal and Chhattisgarh, respectively.

Changes and expansion will also be on the cards at the state level, especially in election bound states, the leaders said.

The expansion will serve the purpose of grooming younger leaders, since the party has made a concerted effort to give people under 55 years of age positions of responsibility. Apart from setting a cut off age of 75 for contesting elections and being given ministerial and party posts, the party gives preference to leaders in the age bracket of 50-55 with an eye on the next decade.