BJP begins consultations to decide Delhi unit chief

The ruling BJP has set begun the process of nomination for the state unit president, with the party seeking suggestions for the potential candidates from both the organisation and government leaders.

This is for the first time that the BJP has decided to elicit feedback from cadres across both the Delhi party unit and the Delhi Government in relation to the selection of the state unit chief. Highly placed sources told The Tribune that inputs have been specifically sought from BJP MLAs, MPs and members of the state cabinet regarding the continuation or replacement of incumbent Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva.

The feedback exercise is being conducted under the leadership of Shiv Prakash, the BJP’s Joint General Secretary (Organisation), who is overseeing the process to ensure a balanced and inclusive consultation across key segments of the party.

Sachdeva, whose three-year tenure comes to an end this year, remains a contender for reappointment. However, discussions within the party suggest that new faces are also being seriously considered. Among the frontrunners is Rajiv Babbar, son of senior BJP leader and three-time MLA OP Babbar. A Member of Parliament is also reportedly in the lead, although sources have withheld the name.

Party insiders say that while the Delhi BJP president is usually announced through a Central directive, the decision to involve a wider pool of voices this time signals a strategic move. The party aims to strike a better balance between the functioning of the Delhi Government and the organisational apparatus of the BJP in a bid to boost policy implementation on the ground and strengthen grassroots support.

In a recent interview with The Tribune, senior BJP leader K Laxman said the election of BJP national president would take place once chiefs in major states were elected.

Laxman had mentioned the names of states like Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Karnataka and Gujarat in this context.