The State BJP unit will get new president by 10th of this month. After the appointment of JP Nadda as national president last month, there is speculation that there will be nominations of BJP presidents in States where the term of State presidents has expired or is soon to expire.
In Jharkhand too, the BJP central leadership will nominate many State leaders as State president. BJP general secretary and Raj Mahal MLA, Anant Ojha said, “The nomination of new State presidents will be done by February 10. The nomination of district presidents and other office bearers too will be carried out by that time.”
Sources said the BJP central leadership is going through various names which are likely to be given the post of State president. Amidst speculations over JVM (P) Chief Babulal Marandi joining the BJP, the saffron party is gearing up for an organisational overhaul following the loss of power in the recently concluded Assembly polls.
A senior BJP leader requesting anonymity said, “If Marandi joins BJP, he will be either given the State BJP president post or the leader of opposition in Assembly post. “
Insiders say, most of the district presidents are likely to be removed for failing to meet their electoral targets, which is to be followed by a review of the state party structure. The focus is to be on tribal areas, where the BJP lost heavily.
The BJP central leadership is said to have decided to nominate tribal faces on key posts after it won just two of the 28 Assembly seats reserved for Scheduled tribes, as against 11 seats in 2014. “In the light of poor performance in polls, the party is expecting a change of guard in the organization in many of the districts dominated by tribals, besides in such areas where the party failed to perform,” said the senior BJP leader.
Apart from Marandi names of other leaders are also doing rounds who will be made state president. The BJP leader said, “If Marandi is nominated as leader of opposition then any non-tribal will be made State presidents and in such situation there are various names.” Sources said among the non-tribal leaders, names of BJP MLA from Raj Mahal Anant Ojha, Chatra MP Sunil Singh, Dipak Prakash and former state president Ravindra Rai are probable names.