Nadda likely to largely retain Amit Shah’s team, could induct new faces as ‘reward’

The BJP’s organisational rejig is expected to be carried out by month-end. Consultations have already taken place. New team is likely to be a mix of old guards & new faces.

File photo of BJP national president J P Nadda | Suraj Singh Bisht | ThePrint

New Delhi: BJP national president J.P. Nadda is likely to largely retain his predecessor and Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s team in the party’s organisational reshuffle at the national level that is expected to be carried out by the end of this month.

Nadda, who took over as the party president on 20 January, has been elected for a period of three years. 

While his team will see “new faces”, including a few general secretaries, party sources said the changes will be to the extent of around 35 per cent only.

“The new team is likely to be announced shortly. The issue of giving a chance to the new faces was deliberated. These functionaries have been working tirelessly for the party and it was felt that they should be rewarded for it. However, only around 30-35 per cent changes in the existing team (the current one set up during Amit Shah’s tenure) will be seen,” said a senior BJP leader.

The leader, however, said the final names and the extent of the changes are still being deliberated upon.

A second BJP leader said Nadda has sought suggestions from state units for names of those who should be made part of the new organisational set-up.

“There are a number of party leaders who have been performing well in the states and a letter was sent to the state units asking them for their recommendations,” said the leader. 

Sources in the BJP told ThePrint the party is keenly observing the state of affairs in West Bengal, which is currently being managed by general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya. 

“Vijayvargiya ji is the central observer for West Bengal and then there are co-in charges. The party is likely to add 1-2 more co-in charges to focus more on the state,” said a senior party functionary from West Bengal.

Mix of old guards and new faces 

BJP workers and leaders have been waiting for the organisational rejig ever since Nadda took over as the party’s national president. 

Shah, who took over as the party president in 2014, formed his own team and that same team has been functioning until now. 

“A number of consultations have already taken place but due to the coronavirus pandemic the exercise was halted. But the process has started once again as we saw recently Delhi, Chhattisgarh got new state chiefs. The new team is likely to be a mix of old guards and new faces. Some general secretaries will not be removed as elections are due such as in Bihar,” said the second party leader.

Earlier this month, actor-turned-politician Manoj Tiwari was replaced as the Delhi BJP chief. Party veteran Adesh Kumar Gupta took over his place. In Chhattisgarh, former union minister Vishnu Deo Sai replaced ex-MP Vikram Usendi as the state BJP chief.

Bihar, Bengal in-charges may remain same

Party sources said in-charges of Bihar and West Bengal — Bhupender Yadav, considered a close aide of Shah, and Vijayvargiya, respectively — might not be changed.

 “Yadav is in-charge of Bihar where elections will be held later this year and next year in West Bengal. So there are chances that they may not be changed. But it is yet to be decided,” said the second BJP leader. 

In the BJP, the general secretaries are those who keep a stock of the party’s activities and day-to-day affairs.

Yadav, Vijayvargiya, Murlidhar Rao, Anil Jain, Saroj Pandey, Ram Madhav, Arun Singh are among the BJP’s national general secretaries.

Sources also said the BJP is likely to make changes as far as its spokespersons and media panelists are concerned.