Hemant Khandelwal is new MP BJP chief; state presidents named in 9 units

Madhya Pradesh BJP on Wednesday appointed Baitul MLA Hemant Khandelwal as its new state president, ending a vacancy of over five years. Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who oversaw the state unit's organisational elections, announced Khandelwal's appointment after he emerged as the sole nominee on Tuesday.

Khandelwal, who belongs to the Vaishya community, is seen as a consensus choice amid internal discussions over caste representation. With the state already having an OBC chief minister, a Brahmin and a Dalit as deputy CMs, the selection of Khandelwal helps the BJP further balance its caste equations.

The son of four-time MP Vijay Khandelwal, Hemant was elected MP from Baitul in a 2008 bypoll after his father's death. Following the constituency's reservation in 2009, he transitioned to organisational roles, serving as state party treasurer for four years and leading BJP's office-building efforts across districts.


He reportedly impressed the central leadership during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls with his coordination skills. BJP national vice-president Saudan Singh is said to have first proposed Khandelwal's name, which later gained wider support. Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan credited him with suggesting the CM RISE school initiative during the announcement.

Khandelwal's appointment is part of a broader organisational reshuffle under the BJP's second phase of Sangathan Parv (Organisational Drive). New state chiefs have been appointed in a total of nine states and union territories:

• Madhya Pradesh - Hemant Khandelwal
• Maharashtra - Ravindra Chavan
• Telangana - N. Ramchander Rao
• Andhra Pradesh - PVN Madhav
• Uttarakhand - Mahendra Bhatt
• Himachal Pradesh - Rajeev Bindal
• Puducherry - VP Ramalingam
• Mizoram - Beichhua
• Andaman & Nicobar Islands - Anil Tiwari

With these additions, the BJP has now completed internal elections in 28 states and UTs, well above the 19 required to initiate the national presidential poll. Party insiders say appointments for West Bengal and Odisha are expected soon, while elections in key states like Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Delhi, and Haryana will determine the timeline for the national president's election.