BJP 'Charged Up' For Elections: Experienced & Young Team Picked By Nadda And Shah For Poll-Bound States

Last Updated:September 25, 2025, 21:33 IST

On Thursday, the party announced election in-charges for Bihar, which goes to polls later this year, and for Bengal and Tamil Nadu, with elections likely in early 2026

The appointments also indicate that Home Minister Amit Shah has taken full control of the Bihar elections. File pic/PTI

The wait for the next BJP national president seems to be extending. Meanwhile, the party is preparing for upcoming state elections later this year and next year.

On Thursday, the party announced election in-charges for Bihar, which goes to the polls later this year, and for Bengal and Tamil Nadu, with elections scheduled for the first quarter of 2026.

Dharmendra Pradhan, CR Patil, and Keshav Maurya have been given responsibilities in Bihar, where the BJP is contesting the election in alliance with the JD(U), LJP (Ram Vilas), and other parties.

In Bihar, where the NDA has been in power for nearly two decades (except for a brief period when Nitish Kumar allied with the RJD), anti-incumbency sentiments are being stirred. The BJP has played a significant political card ahead of the elections.

Dharmendra Pradhan’s Role

For Dharmendra Pradhan, Bihar is familiar territory. He previously held responsibility for the state in 2010 as co-incharge at the age of 40, guided by senior leaders like Arun Jaitley and Ananth Kumar. The NDA achieved a historic victory with 206 seats then, and Pradhan has a personal rapport with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

In 2014, after Narendra Modi was declared the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate, Nitish Kumar severed ties with the BJP. In the 2015 assembly elections, Pradhan, along with Union Minister Ananth Kumar and C.R. Patil, managed the state, but the RJD-JD(U) alliance defeated the BJP. Nitish Kumar later rejoined the BJP before allying with the RJD again in 2020, only to return to the BJP ahead of the 2024 elections. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Pradhan are believed to have played significant roles in his return.

Talking about the upcoming Bihar election, Pradhan is counted among the BJP’s top electoral strategists. He has managed election responsibilities in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, and Karnataka. Last year, he was in charge of Haryana, where the BJP secured a third consecutive win. He played key roles in the 2017 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections and the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, both yielding historic victories for the BJP. His strong organisational skills and sharp electoral understanding make him a crucial asset for the party.

Gujarat BJP President and Union Minister CR Patil is one of Prime Minister Modi’s most trusted lieutenants. Under his leadership, the BJP had its best-ever performance in the 2022 Gujarat assembly elections, winning 156 out of 182 seats with over 52 per cent of the vote share. His effective electoral strategy was widely credited for this win.

Patil previously served as co-incharge for Bihar in 2015 and has managed Prime Minister Modi’s parliamentary constituency, Varanasi, since 2014. He has also played key roles in elections in Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. Although originally from Maharashtra, his political career has been shaped in Gujarat.

By appointing Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya as co-incharge for Bihar, the BJP has shown its trust in him. Known to be close to Home Minister Amit Shah, Maurya has played vital roles in four major victories for the BJP in Uttar Pradesh. In 2017, as UP BJP President, he helped the party secure a sweeping majority in the state. Although he lost the 2022 by-election from Sirathu, the party retained its faith in him by continuing him as Deputy CM.

Balancing Bihar Caste Equations

Through these appointments, the BJP has attempted to balance caste equations in Bihar. Pradhan and Maurya represent the OBC community, while Patil belongs to a forward caste. The BJP’s strategy is to consolidate the non-Yadav OBC vote bank in Bihar. The party hopes that assigning key roles to Pradhan and Maurya will send a strong message to this community. Nitish Kumar has already consolidated the Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs) in the state, while Patil’s appointment as a Maratha leader is seen as a message to forward castes.

The appointments also indicate that Home Minister Amit Shah has taken full control of the Bihar elections. The stakes are high for both the BJP and its ally JD(U). Bihar holds immense political significance, with a united opposition once again challenging the BJP-JD(U) alliance. Meanwhile, strategist Prashant Kishor is positioning himself as a third force, targeting top BJP and JD(U) leaders to put the ruling coalition on the defensive. Panda, on the other hand, is coming off an outstanding victory for the saffron party in the national capital, toppling the AAP’s majority government.

In Bengal, Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav and former Tripura Chief Minister and Lok Sabha MP Biplab Deb have been entrusted with responsibilities. Yadav managed behind-the-scenes work in the 2021 Bengal elections alongside Ashwini Vaishnaw. Deb’s appointment aims to counter Mamata Banerjee’s allegations of bringing outsiders into Bengal, as Deb is a Bengali himself.

In Tamil Nadu, BJP leader Baijant Jay Panda and Minister of State Muralidhar Mohol have been given responsibilities. The BJP has long focused on making inroads into Tamil Nadu, where it has a minimal footprint. These appointments are crucial, particularly with the DMK consistently raising the issue of Hindi imposition against the BJP. Panda’s reputation, organisational skills, and extensive exposure are seen as assets. Mohol, the junior minister in Amit Shah’s cooperation ministry, brings the experience of being Pune’s mayor and a first-time member of Parliament.

The BJP does not make any move without subtle messaging. Bhupendra Yadav and Dharmendra Pradhan are close to the BJP top leadership and have been go-to persons for organisational issues. They are also effective floor managers in Parliament, particularly during major bills.

For big elections, the party trusts Amit Shah’s proven skills. As the BJP president, Shah had a highly successful run and is often referred to as Chanakya for his political acumen. Shah is pushing for an aggressive campaign focused on NDA unity, reflecting the BJP’s preference for leaders who maintain strong ties with allies.

News politics BJP 'Charged Up' For Elections: Experienced & Young Team Picked By Nadda And Shah For Poll-Bound States

Read More