BJP begins rejig ahead of key organisational changes

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday held a high-level meeting of BJP's top leadership, signalling the beginning of a major organisational exercise as the party prepares for changes at the national level.

The meeting, attended by BJP president Nitin Nabin, defence minister Rajnath Singh, home minister Amit Shah, BJP general secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh and several central election committee (CEC) members, including Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, was officially convened to deliberate on the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections and legislative council (MLC) polls in several states.

After the meeting, BJP announced a list of 11 candidates for the elections for 17 MLC seats that will be contested in Maharashtra. Shiv Sena will contest on four and NCP one.


Political circles are closely watching BJP's decision to place industrialist Arun Lakhani, BJP's Maharashtra co-treasurer from Nagpur with RSS roots, first on its MLC nominees list. The move has drawn attention as his son, Sarang Lakhani, is set to marry Revati Sule, granddaughter of Sharad Pawar and daughter of MP Supriya Sule.

Party sources said the PM separately held a meeting with Nabin and other top leaders and is believed to have reviewed organisational preparedness and discussed pending appointments at the national and state levels.

The exercise assumes significance as the party looks to recalibrate its organisational machinery under the leadership of Nabin (46), one of the youngest leaders to occupy BJP's top organisational post in recent years.

Senior leaders are understood to have discussed the long-pending formation of BJP's Uttar Pradesh organisational team under newly appointed state unit chief Pankaj Chaudhary.

With assembly polls in UP less than a year away, the party is keen to put in place a full-fledged organisational structure and sharpen its electoral strategy in the country's most politically consequential state.

Sources said the leadership also reviewed political developments in states where organisational and governmental adjustments are due.

BJP is expected to undertake Cabinet expansions in Assam and West Bengal later this week -- moves that could coincide with a broader round of political appointments.

The discussions come ahead of a meeting of BJP's national office-bearers convened by Nabin to mark the completion of 12 years of the Modi government. The gathering is expected to focus on governance outreach, public engagement programmes and the party's political messaging around the Modi government's achievements.

While the official agenda centred on the Rajya Sabha and Maharashtra MLC elections, Sunday's meeting is widely seen as the first major brainstorming exercise ahead of significant organisational changes.