BJP retains Shrikant Sharma as Himachal in-charge, names Darshana Singh co-in-charge
Synopsis
In its latest organisational reshuffle, BJP has retained Mathura MLA Shrikant Sharma as Himachal Pradesh in-charge while handing Rajya Sabha member Darshana Singh the co-in-charge role. Notably, Himachal MLA Reena Kashyap has been elevated to co-in-charge of the Jammu and Kashmir BJP — giving the Himachal unit a direct stake in J&K's party affairs.
Key Takeaways
BJP retained Shrikant Sharma , Mathura MLA and former Uttar Pradesh energy minister, as in-charge for Himachal Pradesh on 23 September 2026 .
Darshana Singh , Rajya Sabha member from Uttar Pradesh , was named co-in-charge of the Himachal Pradesh BJP.
Reena Kashyap , BJP MLA from Pachhad in Sirmaur district , has been appointed co-in-charge of the Jammu and Kashmir BJP.
Dr Satish Poonia has been named in-charge of Jammu and Kashmir in the national-level organisational list.
BJP won all four Lok Sabha seats in Himachal Pradesh in the 2024 general elections under Sharma's stewardship.
The national leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday, 23 September 2026, announced a fresh round of organisational appointments, retaining Shrikant Sharma, the Mathura legislator and former energy minister of Uttar Pradesh, as the party's in-charge for Himachal Pradesh. In the same reshuffle, Darshana Singh, a Rajya Sabha member from Uttar Pradesh, was named co-in-charge of the state unit.
Key Appointments in the Reshuffle
Shrikant Sharma was first assigned charge of Himachal Pradesh during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, when he served as the party's election in-charge for the state. He was subsequently given the permanent responsibility of state in-charge — a role he now continues. The BJP swept all four Lok Sabha seats in Himachal Pradesh under his watch during the 2024 general elections. Sharma has previously served as the party's national secretary and handled key responsibilities in its national media setup.
Dr Satish Poonia has been named in-charge of Jammu and Kashmir in the national-level list. Separately, Himachal Pradesh BJP MLA Reena Kashyap, who represents the Pachhad Assembly constituency in Sirmaur district, has been assigned the role of co-in-charge of the Jammu and Kashmir BJP — a significant elevation that gives the Himachal unit a footprint in the national organisational structure.
Who Is Darshana Singh
Darshana Singh began her active political career in 2008 and rose steadily through BJP's Mahila Morcha ranks. She became president of the Mahila Morcha in Chandauli district in 2011, joined the state executive of the Mahila Morcha in 2013, served as the party's Kashi region secretary in 2015, and became president of the BJP Mahila Morcha in Uttar Pradesh in 2018. She has also served as national vice-president of the BJP Mahila Morcha. Her first term in the Rajya Sabha began on 5 July 2022. Before entering politics, she worked with the Allahabad centres of All India Radio and Doordarshan, and holds a postgraduate degree in history.
Reena Kashyap's Track Record
Reena Kashyap was first elected as an MLA from Pachhad in an October 2019 Assembly bypoll and successfully retained the seat in the December 2022 Assembly elections. Her appointment as co-in-charge of Jammu and Kashmir is being read as a recognition of her organisational capabilities within the party.
Himachal BJP's Reaction
The state BJP unit congratulated Sharma, Darshana Singh, and Kashyap on their new responsibilities and thanked the national leadership for the appointments. The unit noted that the reshuffle gives Himachal Pradesh's organisational leadership enhanced responsibilities at the national level. This comes amid the party's continued efforts to consolidate its organisational presence across states ahead of upcoming electoral cycles.
Point of View
Not ambition — the BJP is consolidating a winning formula in Himachal rather than experimenting ahead of the next assembly cycle. The more consequential appointment is Reena Kashyap's elevation to Jammu and Kashmir co-in-charge: deploying a Himachal legislator in J&K's organisational machinery suggests the party is drawing on tested state-level talent to reinforce its standing in a politically sensitive union territory. Darshana Singh's profile — rooted in Mahila Morcha and media before politics — fits a pattern of the party elevating women with grassroots credentials to prominent co-in-charge roles. Whether these appointments translate into electoral ground-level impact in Himachal and J&K will depend on how actively each figure engages beyond the title.
NationPress
23 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has BJP retained as its in-charge for Himachal Pradesh?
BJP has retained Shrikant Sharma , the MLA from Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, as its in-charge for Himachal Pradesh. Sharma was first given this charge during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and has now been confirmed in the role permanently.
Who is the new BJP co-in-charge for Himachal Pradesh?
Darshana Singh , a Rajya Sabha member from Uttar Pradesh, has been appointed co-in-charge of the Himachal Pradesh BJP. She is a former president of the BJP Mahila Morcha in Uttar Pradesh and her Rajya Sabha term began on 5 July 2022.
What responsibility has Reena Kashyap been given?
Reena Kashyap , BJP MLA from the Pachhad Assembly constituency in Sirmaur district, Himachal Pradesh, has been appointed co-in-charge of the Jammu and Kashmir BJP. She was first elected from Pachhad in an October 2019 bypoll and retained the seat in December 2022.
Who is the new BJP in-charge for Jammu and Kashmir?
Dr Satish Poonia has been named BJP in-charge for Jammu and Kashmir as part of the national-level organisational appointments announced on 23 September 2026.
What was Shrikant Sharma's track record in Himachal Pradesh?
Under Shrikant Sharma's charge as election in-charge during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won all four Lok Sabha seats in Himachal Pradesh. He was subsequently retained as the permanent state in-charge, a role now confirmed in the latest reshuffle.
