Nitin Nabin to take over as BJP national president soon; party opts for status quo in Karnataka for now

New Delhi: As the BJP prepares to elevate its working president Nitin Nabin as the national president, Karnataka is the only major state where elections for the state chief remain pending. Elections now remain pending in smaller states like Punjab, Tripura and Manipur, in addition to Delhi. Indications are that the party leadership may want to continue with the status quo in Karnataka now and take a call on the leadership issue closer to the assembly polls in 2028.

Party leaders indicated that Nitin Nabin’s elevation as president could take place on January 20, which will be after Sankranti, as the inauspicious time of kharmas will be over. For the elections to take place, organisational polls have to be done in at least 19 states for the process to continue as per the BJP’s constitution, the process has been completed in 30 states till now. Electoral colleges are being prepared across the states where organisational elections have been completed.

Sources in the party said that BY Vijayendra will continue to head the state for the time being, but a re-election might cause trouble. “He will lead the state for now, and there is no need to announce a re-election. Finally, the infighting in the state unit had calmed down for a while, we do not want to worsen matters,” a senior party leader said.

Nabin is the youngest leader to be named Working President, a precursor to being named party president. While the party’s constitution does not mandate the position, Nabin is the second Working President after JP Nadda.

Election for the top job is done by an electoral college that has leaders from the National Council as well as the State Council as members. Names of leaders are presented from various states by groups of 20 members of a state council with the consent of the leader. Rules also mandate that names of only members who have been part of the party for 15 years can be proposed. BJP leaders also said that any leader can hold the President’s post for two consecutive terms of three years each.