Ahead of his re-nomination, Badoli meets Modi, Shah

Ahead of speculation for his imminent re-nomination as the state BJP chief, Mohan Lal Badoli today met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah to discuss organisational matters.

Badoli’s meeting is seen as the party’s willingness to extend his tenure, given his ‘excellent’ performance in last year’s Assembly polls and recently-concluded municipal elections. The meeting with Modi and Shah comes close on the heels of his meeting with BJP chief JP Nadda yesterday.

Recently, Badoli got a shot in the arm after the HP Police filed a closure report in the gangrape case filed by a New Delhi-based woman, bringing him in contention for another term as the BJP chief. Badoli took over as BJP chief from CM Nayab Singh Saini in July last year.

The BJP high command had already initiated the process to elect its Haryana chief with the appointment of party general secretary Arun Singh as supervisor for the organisation polls.

Arun Singh would soon come out with the election schedule inviting prospective candidates to file their nomination. The electoral process, including filing of nominations, scrutiny and withdrawal of candidature will last three days. The 27 district presidents and 90 Vidhan Sabha chiefs would form the electoral college for the elections.

Though a proper electoral procedure is followed, the BJP chief would be elected unanimously and the party high command’s choice usually got the top post. Badoli’s meeting with the top brass indicated the high command’s choice for the top party post in Haryana.

Badoli, the Brahmin face of the saffron party, and the OBC face and CM Nayab Singh Saini were credited with BJP’s hat-trick in Haryana—a first in the state’s electoral history— after the 2024 Assembly polls. The BJP also won the municipal elections earlier this month under the Saini-Badoli duo. Badoli also shares good rapport with former CM and Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who plays an important role in matters concerning Haryana.

Why Badoli?

• Closure report in the gangrape against Badoli by HP Police comes as a shot in the arm for Badoli

• Badoli was instrumental in winning Assembly polls, MC polls for BJP

• Brahmin face Badoli and OBC face Saini fit well into the party's non-Jat narrative

• Badoli is close to CM Saini and ex-CM Manohar Lal Khattar