BJP is the first major national party to shift base to a location outside the Lutyens’ zone, following a Supreme Court order.
New Delhi: Even after shifting to its new headquarters at 6A Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg, the BJP will retain its property at 11 Ashoka Road for another few months.
The BJP is the first major national party to shift its base to a location outside the Lutyens’ zone, following a Supreme Court directive that party offices should be relocated from the area. The road on which its new headquarters are located is named after a prominent leader of the Jana Sangh, BJP’s forerunner.
The Congress too was allotted land but has made no progress in building an office after a bhoomi poojan in 2014.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the pink-coloured building Sunday. While the focus is now shifted to the modern facilities and eco-friendly interiors of the new building, the curiosity about the 11 Ashoka Road office — held by the party for almost three decades — is only growing. Questions that are doing the rounds include: what will happen to 11 Ashoka Road, will the party surrender the office, or will it be transferred to a senior MP?
Party sources said there is an option that the place could be allotted to a senior BJP leader, and the utilisation can then be decided as per the requirements of the party.
While 11 Ashoka Road is a kilometre from Raisina Hill, the power centre of the national capital, the BJP’s new address is five kilometres from its previous office.
New building
The 70-room new office space is a modern, multi-storeyed building with three blocks, spread over a sprawling two acres. The fifth floor of the middle block has been earmarked for the BJP president’s office.
Features like smart lights with sensors and a fully-equipped social media room give the new office a ‘corporate’ look.
While, the party functionaries have started visiting the new headquarters, offices are yet to be allotted to senior leaders.