BJP working president JP Nadda has been elected as new chief of the party, succeeding Amit Shah. The senior BJP leader was elected unopposed as party's chief. His decades-long experience in the organisation, starting from student politics, proximity to the RSS and clean image are seen as his strengths.
Just ahead of Delhi election and as the "ekadashi" sets in, the "world's largest political party" - BJP is having its new President on Monday, bringing an end of Amit Shah era. The choice of the announcement date on an "ekadashi", was done keeping in the auspiciousness aspect in mind.
Earlier the party through an official communique said that "if an election is at all necessary", it will take place on January 21.
The fact, the announcement will be made a day earlier, is a clear indication there won't be any election in the first place, as was speculated.
Meanwhile, all senior ministers were asked to be in the party office, on Monday. The nomination process for the post of BJP President had begun at 10 am Monday.
With Shah joining the Modi 2.0 government as Home Minister, the BJP began the exercise for electing his successor as the party has the convention of 'one person, one post'.
Though, many believe, Shah will have the last say on all macro decisions like pre-poll alliances or top organisational appointments, but will be free from daily monitoring of the organisation.
Shah himself wanted this, due to which Nadda was brought in as the working President of the party as key legislations like abrogation of Article 370, Triple Talaq and finally Citizenship Amendment Act meant Shah, who is the home minister as well, had to prioritize his works.
In Sanskrit, "ekadashi" means 11, as in the eleventh day of two fortnights of the waxing and waning moon. The date was chosen, keeping that in mind, say sources.
The party constitution mandates completion of election of at least 50 per cent of state Presidents for the election of national President to happen. In the last few days, the BJP has completed the election of a slew of state Presidents like in West Bengal, Nagaland among others.
The process of election of the national BJP President is quite elaborate and has been described in detail in the party constitution, which says that the national President shall be elected by an electoral college, comprising members of the national council and the state councils.
"Any 20 members of the electoral college of a state can jointly propose the name of a person, who has been an active member for four terms and has 15 years of membership, for the post of national President. Such joint proposal should come from not less then five states where elections have been completed for the national council. The consent of the candidate is necessary," it says.
(with inputs from agencies)
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