BJP picks Dharmendra Pradhan to lead Bihar polls, Bhupender Yadav for Bengal

With Bihar headed for polls in November and Bengal, Tamil Nadu in early 2025, the party has tapped its veteran strategists, pairing them with rising leaders like Biplab Deb and Keshav Maurya as co-incharges.

New Delhi: The BJP on Thursday made important appointments for key poll-bound states, including for next year, naming Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Bhupender Yadav as its election in-charge of Bihar and West Bengal.

The party appointed Baijayant 'Jay' Panda, one of its vice presidents, its in-charge for the assembly polls in Tamil Nadu where it is a junior partner to the AIADMK.

While the Bihar assembly elections are expected to be held in November, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu are likely to go to polls in March-April.

A BJP statement said Union minister C R Paatil, who heads the party's Gujarat unit and is considered a capable organisation hand, and Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya are co-incharges for the Bihar polls.

Former Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb is the co-incharge for West Bengal and Union minister Murlidhar Mohol is the co-incharge for Tamil Nadu, it added.

Both Pradhan and Yadav are among the most experienced poll managers of the BJP and have overseen elections in several states.