Rama Krishna Sangem
Daggubati Purandeswari, former union minister is one of the candidates for the BJP national president post, which is likely to filled either before or after the parliament monsoon session. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and BJP Mahila Morcha president an d Tamil Nadu BJP MLA Vanathi Srinivasan too are the other main contenders for the top organisational post of the saffron party. A decision to this extent is expected to be taken sometime next week.
Information to this extent has been leaked by the party sources to the media in Delhi on July 4, Friday morning. Party circles are abuzz with speculation over the possible impact of this move, if it comes by. Purandeswari, 66 years old is the eldest of the three candidates, while Nirmala Sitharaman is 65 years old and Vanathi, is 55 years old. Going by the shortlisted candidates of these women, it appears the party leadership has decided to give the post to someone from the South India.
This is natural, as the last three presidents – Rajnath Singh, Amit Shan and JP Nadda – are from the North India. Even Nitin Gadkari too was from Maharashtra. After Venkaiah Naidu, the South has no representation at the top level in BJP. Though the name of union coal minister G Kishan Reddy came up for consideration, he opted to stay put in Telangana where the party has chances of coming to power in 2028 assembly elections.
OBC card dropped?
Earlier reports said that BJP national president would be chosen from OBC categories. Then, the name of union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan came up for consideration. But, Chauhan preferred to stay in the union cabinet. Now the praty appears to have dropped the OBC criteria for the national party president post. Both Nirmala Sitharaman and Purandeswari belong to forward communities,. while Vanathi is from BC community in Tamil Nadui.
Sources are of the view that Vanathi fits the bill of both woman and OBC categories. She is a lawyer and an active social leader among her circles. The chances of Nirmala maybe dim as she is now heading the finance ministry where hectic reforms are underway. Purandeswari too has slim chances as her base state of Andhra has minimal representation to the BJP. Vanathi has bright chances as her Tamil Nadu goes to assembly elections in May 2026.
