BJP President Elections Stalled Again—Vice President Race Delays the Verdict

National News: The uncertainty surrounding the long-delayed election for the BJP National President has deepened once again. On Friday, the Election Commission announced that the Vice Presidential election will be held on September 9. This development became necessary after current Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned unexpectedly due to health issues.

Now, political observers say that the BJP leadership has put the party president’s election on hold yet again, and the process will likely resume only after the Vice Presidential polls are concluded.

Why the President’s election been postponed repeatedly?

The tenure of BJP’s current national president, JP Nadda, was initially extended up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections to ensure there were no disruptions in the party’s preparations.

• However, after that: Assembly elections in states like Delhi and Maharashtra diverted focus. Organizational elections within the party faced repeated delays. As a result, Nadda’s term kept getting extended.

Now, when internal party elections had mostly wrapped up and a new president seemed imminent, the Vice President’s sudden resignation once again shifted the political timeline.

BJP adopts a cautious ‘wait-and-watch’ stance

According to a report, the BJP leadership has decided to defer the selection of the new national president until after the Vice Presidential election.

Insiders suggest: The party is likely to wait until September to make any major announcements. However, there is still a chance that a new BJP president will be announced before the Bihar Assembly elections later this year.

Signs of ‘confusion’ within the BJP

A senior BJP functionary told NBT Online, All I know is that Nadda ji spoke to the national general secretaries late on Friday night. But what decisions were taken in that meeting haven’t been revealed yet.” When pressed about possible names for the next BJP chief, he added, “At the moment, the names of Dharmendra Pradhan and Manohar Lal Khattar are most prominent. As for the Vice President’s post, no confirmed name has surfaced yet.”

BJP’s numbers improve in the Rajya Sabha

The Vice Presidential election is a strategic priority for the BJP. Even though the party holds a majority in the Rajya Sabha, it wants a presiding officer who can manage the House smoothly and ensure legislative business isn’t stalled.

• In a boost for the ruling party: Three nominated members—Ujjwal Nikam, Harshvardhan Shringla, and C. Sadanandan Master—have formally joined the BJP. This has increased the party’s Rajya Sabha tally to 102 members, strengthening its position in the upper house ahead of the Vice Presidential vote.

Potential contenders for BJP’s top post

Within the BJP, two names are currently leading the discussion:

• Dharmendra Pradhan—Union Education Minister, with strong organizational credentials.
• Manohar Lal Khattar—Former Haryana Chief Minister, considered close to the central leadership. However, BJP watchers point out that the party has a history of springing surprises, and the final choice could still be an unexpected name.

Why the Vice Presidential election matters

The BJP is taking the Vice Presidential election very seriously. The Vice President also serves as the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, a role crucial for managing debates, controlling disruptions, and facilitating key bills. The party, therefore, wants a Vice President who can:

• Manage the House tactfully, and
• Maintain dialogue with the opposition without compromising the government’s agenda.

How JP Nadda’s tenure kept getting extended

• 2020: JP Nadda became BJP President with a term until 2023.
• 2023: Tenure extended, citing 2024 Lok Sabha election preparations.

Subsequent delays: State elections in Delhi, Maharashtra, and others, plus pending internal organizational polls, pushed the timeline further. Now that internal elections are mostly complete, the expectation is that a new BJP president will be named soon. But with the Vice Presidential election now a top priority, that announcement is on hold once again.

Political message from BJP HQ

For now, the BJP’s top brass is focused on two crucial tasks:

• Crafting the strategy for the Vice Presidential election.
• Finalizing the next National President’s name.

What happens next?

September could bring clarity on who will succeed JP Nadda. The key question: Will BJP name a new president before the Bihar elections, or will that announcement itself be turned into an election rallying point? Either way, the coming weeks will set the tone for the BJP’s organizational strategy heading into 2025.