New Delhi: BJP national president Nitin Nabin on Monday announced a new team of office-bearers, bringing together experienced leaders and younger faces ahead of next year’s crucial state elections.
Former Punjab finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal and senior RSS leader Ram Madhav have been appointed among the party’s 13 national vice presidents. Former Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje has retained her position, while former Uttarakhand chief minister Tirath Singh Rawat has also been included.
Among the eight national general secretaries, former Union minister Smriti Irani has returned to the party’s top organisational team. Punjab affairs in-charge Satish Poonia and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Bhatia, considered close to Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar, have also been appointed general secretaries. Vinod Tawde and Sunil Bansal have retained their positions.
A key appointment is that of Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal as the BJP’s national treasurer. It remains to be seen whether Goyal will have to give up his Cabinet position under the party’s ‘one person, one post’ principle.
Uttarakhand MP Anil Baluni will continue as the party’s media head. Meanwhile, Tarun Chugh has been removed as general secretary and appointed in-charge of the BJP’s central office. Senior RSS leader B.L. Santosh will continue as the party’s organisational general secretary.
The new list includes 13 vice presidents and eight general secretaries. Arun Singh, Dushyant Gautam and Radha Mohan Agrawal have been removed from the post of general secretary.
The new team has been formed with an eye on next year’s Assembly elections in five states, with Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand receiving significant representation in the latest organisational reshuffle.
