BJP to discuss B’desh, state elections, party chief poll schedule on Aug 17

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 13

BJP top brass will meet here on August 17 to discuss the fallout of the Bangladesh crisis, upcoming Assembly elections and membership drive schedules to enable the election of a new party president.

Incumbent BJP chief JP Nadda’s term ended in June but he continues to be at the helm on extension. Nadda was appointed BJP working president in 2019 after then chief Amit Shah’s elevation to the Union Cabinet.

Nadda was later confirmed to the post. This time, the BJP is yet to name a working president even as Nadda has been re-inducted into the Cabinet and continues to hold dual posts.

So far as the next BJP president is concerned, sources say the BJP is likely to concur with the RSS, its ideological ally, in deciding Nadda’s successor. It is learnt that RSS and BJP are engaged in informal talks about the next party chief.

Though some BJP and Sangh leaders met at Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s residence on Sunday, the agenda at that meeting centred on possible solutions to the Bangladeshi Hindu and minority crisis.

The meeting was attended by Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Nadda, RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale and RSS joint general secretary Arun Kumar. The August 17 meeting at BJP headquarters will see the attendance of all national office bearers of the party; state presidents and state general secretaries, organisation.

Sources said a membership drive could be discussed and launched after the meeting, where the agenda will include countering an aggressive Opposition, fallout of the Bangladesh crisis, consequences of the latest Hindenburg allegations and preparations for upcoming Assembly polls in Jharkhand, Haryana and Maharashtra.