NEW DELHI: Jagat Prakash Nadda, working president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is likely to be elevated as the party chief, replacing Amit Shah, this Ekadashi (January 20).
"The announcement is likely on either January 20 or January 21," said a senior BJP functionary. However, another BJP leader was more specific and said the announcement would be on the coming Ekadashi.
In Sanskrit, Ekadashi means 'eleven', as in the eleventh day of two fortnights of the waxing and waning moon. The process of election of the national BJP president is quite elaborate and has been described in detail in the party constitution. The national president shall be elected by an electoral college, comprising members of the national council and the state councils, it says.
"Any 20 members of the electoral college of a state can jointly propose the name of a person, who has been an active member for four terms and has 15 years of membership, for the post of national president. Such a joint proposal should come from not less than five states where elections have been completed for the national council. The consent of the candidate is necessary," says the party constitution.
Nadda is likely to be elected unopposed.
According to a BJP leader, privy to details, nomination papers for the post is slated to be filed on or by January 19. "Since Nadda has the backing of both Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, any other nomination is unlikely," he said.
However, there is a technical glitch. The party constitution mandates completion of election of at least 50 percent of state presidents for the election of the national president to happen. As of now, the BJP is yet to reach that mark.
However, a senior BJP leader told IANS the process of completion of election of at least 50 percent of state presidents will be completed in the "next four-five days".
One such upcoming election is in Punjab, to be held at Jalandhar on January 17. Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, Rajya Sabha member, Mahesh Giri, national secretary, have been appointed observers for it. (IANS)