Nitin Nabin resets BJP team with fresh faces & poll pros

New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Nitin Nabin unveiled a new organisational team on Monday, about seven months after assuming charge of the ruling party, seeking to ensure continuity with change as he retained proven poll managers while promoting a new generation of leaders and professionals.

Former Union minister Smriti Irani returned as national general secretary and former RSS functionary Ram Madhav as vice president, while key election strategists Vinod Tawde and Sunil Bansal were retained to steer the party's organisational machinery. Union minister Piyush Goyal was named the BJP's national treasurer.

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Nabin stamped his authority on the new team by elevating Swadesh Singh and Mriganka Deo Barman as national secretaries and appointing Deepak Mhaskey as social media chief in place of Amit Malviya.

Congratulating the new team, PM Narendra Modi said in a post on X, "This newly appointed team brings together organisational experience, energy and grassroots connect. I am confident they will give their best in strengthening our party and focussing on public service."

Wider Representation

Of the 65 office-bearers in the new team, 51 are new. Six are below the age of 40 and 15 are between 40 and 49 years, while 21 fall in the 50-59 age group. The team has 10 women and six leaders from minority communities, including two Muslims, with representation from 23 states and Union Territories, reflecting the BJP's attempt to widen its social and geographical footprint ahead of the next electoral cycle. There are 10 members from other backward classes, four Scheduled Tribes and three Scheduled Castes in the team.

Within BJP circles, the development is also being seen as a precursor to a much-anticipated cabinet reshuffle.

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The exercise underscores Nabin's efforts to steer the BJP ahead with the backing of the party's top leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior ministers, while preserving organisational continuity, according to people familiar with the matter.

In a post on X, Nabin said, "I am confident that every member, with the spirit of a dedicated karyakarta, will further strengthen the organisation to take forward the resolve of a 'Viksit Bharat' and the commitment to nation-building to new heights."

The return of Irani and Madhav marks the comeback of two high-profile leaders, along with former chief minister of Tripura Biplab Deb, with strong organisational and ideological credentials. Equally significant is the retention of Tawde and Bansal as the only two national general secretaries to continue in their posts, underlining the confidence reposed in them to spearhead upcoming assembly elections.

BL Santhosh also continues as national general secretary (organisation), ensuring continuity in the BJP's core organisational structure. A full-time RSS member, he is the Sangh's pointsman in the party organisation.

Another defining feature of Nabin's first team is its blend of organisational experience and professional expertise. Besides seasoned political organisers, the BJP has inducted academicians, doctors and professionals into key roles. Delhi University professor Swadesh Singh has been appointed national secretary, while cancer specialist Dr Madhuchandra Kar and Karnataka academic Prof M Nagaraja have been made national vice presidents, alongside engineers, chartered accountants and lawyers. Party leaders said the idea was to strengthen the organisation with domain expertise without diluting its cadre-driven character.

The overhaul also brought about a significant change in the BJP's communications team. Chhattisgarh leader Deepak Mhaskey, an academic and former independent director of Engineers India Ltd, replaced Amit Malviya as head of the party's social media department, ending the latter's 11-year tenure at the helm of the party's digital outreach.

The BJP also announced a new line-up of morcha presidents, including first-time MP Hemang Joshi from Gujarat as youth wing chief.