The BJP is making a concerted effort to make a mark in Punjab. Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal’s cousin and former state Finance Minister Manpreet Badal has been appointed the vice-president.
Seven months after he took over as BJP national president, Nitin Nabin on Monday announced his team of party office-bearers, reflecting the party’s electoral priorities for poll-bound states like Punjab, UP and Uttarakhand; a reboot of its online communication strategy; and an attempt to strike a balance between transition and continuity.
While former Union Minister Smriti Irani, who lost the 2024 Lok Sabha election to Kishori Lal Sharma in Amethi, made a comeback as general secretary, former Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb was also rewarded for his role in the BJP’s recent West Bengal campaign.
Former RSS spokesperson Ram Madhav too makes his way back to the BJP with his appointment as vice-president.
Hemang Joshi from Gujarat has been named the party’s Yuva Morcha president, replacing Lok Sabha MP Tejasvi Surya.
Appointment of former UP MP Harish Dwivedi as general secretary indicates the party’s Brahmin outreach ahead of the assembly polls early next year. Former Uttarakhand CM Tirath Singh Rawat has been accommodated as vice-president. The hill state goes to polls with UP.
Also Read: BJP rejigs national team, brings in Manpreet Badal and Sandeep Pathak
The appointment of Commerce Minister Piyush Goel as BJP treasurer has again created buzz about an impending Cabinet reshuffle in the Modi government following the organisational rejig.
The BJP is making a concerted effort to make a mark in Punjab. Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal’s cousin and former state Finance Minister Manpreet Badal has been appointed the vice-president.
Party strongman from Amritsar and RS MP Tarun Chug has been dropped as general secretary, but appointed BJP central office in-charge. Another key induction from Punjab is that of Sandeep Pathak, RS MP and the man behind AAP’s strategy for Punjab polls in 2022. Pathak recently defected to the BJP along with Raghav Chadha.
The party’s Karnataka in-charge Radha Mohan Das Agrawal has been dropped.
The biggest shift in BJP’s new team is reflected in its IT and Social Media department with the appointment of Deepak Mhaskey as the Social Media convenor. Mhaskey replaces Amit Malviya, who has managed the department since 2015.
Only two General Secretaries were able to survive the transition – Vinod Tawde, who may be given the important task of managing UP and Sunil Bansal, who was instrumental in BJP’s West Bengal victory.
BL Santosh will continue to be the link between BJP and RSS as General Secretary Organisation. He will be assisted by Saudan Singh and Shiv Prakash.
Among the VPs, former CM Vasundhara Raje Scindia, Tariq Masood and Rekha Verma and Baijayant Panda were retained in Nabin’s team. Verma and Masood are from UP. Anil Balini will continue as media convener.
RS MP and Jat leader from Rajasthan Satish Poonia has been made General Secretary.
Source: Deccanherald
Read Original Article → BJP rejig | Nitin’s ‘Nabin’ team: Smriti Irani, Ram Madhav back, Amit Malviya out
