When Will the New MP BJP Chief Be Announced?

Bhopal, July 1 (NationPress) Amid rumors swirling within the BJP regarding the selection of a new party leader in Madhya Pradesh, all 379 members of the electoral college are anticipated to reach Bhopal by Tuesday evening.

The state electoral college list was made public late on Monday, including 163 MLAs, 29 Lok Sabha MPs, and district presidents of the MP BJP.

Voting will occur if there is more than one candidate vying for the post.

These 379 electoral members will also participate in the election of 44 members for the party's national council.

The BJP's state election officer for the organizational polls, Vivek Naran Shejwalkar, noted on Monday night that all arrangements for the election process are in place, and voting will take place should multiple candidates emerge. Nomination papers for the state BJP chief position can be submitted between 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

Once the nomination process concludes, the picture will become clearer, although the BJP is expected to officially declare the name of the new state president during the working committee meeting at 2 p.m. on Wednesday. If a vote is necessary, it will mark the second instance in Madhya Pradesh where the state president is chosen through an election process. The last time, Shivraj Singh Chouhan was elected as the state BJP president, who later ascended to the Chief Minister position and currently serves as the Union Agriculture Minister.

The election process will take place with the oversight of Union Minister and election in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan, who is expected to arrive in Bhopal by Tuesday afternoon. It is also anticipated that Pradhan will have the name of the new MP BJP chief sanctioned by the party's central leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The state is poised to welcome a new chief after a more than one-year delay, as V.D. Sharma concluded his five-year term in February last year. The second-time MP from Khajuraho, Sharma, took the reins as state BJP chief in 2020 following the party's defeat in the 2018 Assembly elections. He has been recognized as a successful state BJP chief, leading the party to victory in the Assembly elections by securing 163 out of 230 seats.

Significantly, the BJP maintained its power despite substantial anti-incumbency sentiments against its two-decade rule in the state. Under Sharma's leadership, the party has participated in one Lok Sabha election, one Assembly election, and numerous by-elections.

Sharma is also the first state chief under whose guidance the BJP achieved victory in all 29 Lok Sabha seats for the first time in Madhya Pradesh. He is expected to receive a new assignment at the national level soon. Traditionally, a BJP state president serves a term of three years, but Sharma is the first to hold the position for such an extended duration.