NEW DELHI: Senior BJP netas have held detailed consultations on the party’s future course and who should succeed J P Nadda whose extended tenure as president has also ended.
Although details of the five-hour meeting held at the residence of defence minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday were not available, sources said there was a thorough discussion on who should be the next working president or the full-time president in view of the looming assembly polls.
Besides Singh, home minister Amit Shah and BJP general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh attended the deliberations. RSS was represented by its number two, general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale, and joint general secretary Arun Kumar. The meeting, a periodic interaction between the netas, came ahead of a crucial coordination meeting of RSS in Palakkad, Kerala, from Aug 31 to Sep 2.
Sources said the senior BJP and RSS functionaries also discussed other issues, including attacks on Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh, an issue on which the saffron fountainhead has expressed concern and the PM has also asked the interim govt to ensure safety of Hindus in the neighbouring country.
Sources said “RSS consent” will be crucial to nominate the next party president for which the process should have started by now as Nadda is also holding charge of the ministries of health and chemicals & fertilisers in the Modi cabinet.
As a large number of functionaries, who had long stints in crucial party posts, have been inducted into the Union govt, the party and RSS decision-makers are said to be exploring someone from a “grassroots politics” background for the next BJP chief.
There is also speculation that the next party president could be a woman or an OBC. BJP has never had a woman president and passing the baton to a woman is said to be an ideal call in view of the implementation of women’s quota in Parliament and state assemblies likely before Lok Sabha polls in 2029.
Although details of the five-hour meeting held at the residence of defence minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday were not available, sources said there was a thorough discussion on who should be the next working president or the full-time president in view of the looming assembly polls.
Besides Singh, home minister Amit Shah and BJP general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh attended the deliberations. RSS was represented by its number two, general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale, and joint general secretary Arun Kumar. The meeting, a periodic interaction between the netas, came ahead of a crucial coordination meeting of RSS in Palakkad, Kerala, from Aug 31 to Sep 2.
Sources said the senior BJP and RSS functionaries also discussed other issues, including attacks on Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh, an issue on which the saffron fountainhead has expressed concern and the PM has also asked the interim govt to ensure safety of Hindus in the neighbouring country.
Sources said “RSS consent” will be crucial to nominate the next party president for which the process should have started by now as Nadda is also holding charge of the ministries of health and chemicals & fertilisers in the Modi cabinet.
As a large number of functionaries, who had long stints in crucial party posts, have been inducted into the Union govt, the party and RSS decision-makers are said to be exploring someone from a “grassroots politics” background for the next BJP chief.
There is also speculation that the next party president could be a woman or an OBC. BJP has never had a woman president and passing the baton to a woman is said to be an ideal call in view of the implementation of women’s quota in Parliament and state assemblies likely before Lok Sabha polls in 2029.