The Bharatiya Janata Party’s new organisational team signals an attempt to balance ideological continuity with generational change, while preparing for a string of assembly elections and seeking to reset its political and social narrative.
The party has retained BL Santhosh as national general secretary (Organisation), along with Shivprakash and Saudan Singh as national joint general secretaries (Organisation), while bringing back Ram Madhav, one of the most recognisable faces of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), into its leadership fold.
Satish Poonia, another leader with strong Sangh ties, has also been brought into the national team. Poonia was in charge of the Haryana assembly elections in 2024, when the BJP overcame strong anti-incumbency to win a third consecutive term. “There are many other names on the list who have cut their teeth in RSS and its affiliate the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) such as Vinod Tawde, VD Sharma, Biplab Deb and Swadesh Singh …these appointments should put to rest any speculation that the Sangh and the party are not on the same page,” said a senior party leader.
But the larger message, according to multiple leaders who spoke to HT, is an attempt to reset the party’s narrative and connect with younger voters.
“The protests against paper leaks had a wide resonance on the ground. The government took several steps to address the concerns and plug the leaks, but the narrative, particularly on social media, was against the government and the party,” said the leader.
The focus on the upcoming assembly elections, particularly Uttar Pradesh, is also evident in the revamp of the BJP’s IT cell. Amit Malviya, who frequently courted controversy over his social media posts, has been replaced by Deepak Mhaske. “A fresh set of people will assist the new IT cell head Deepak Mhaske,” the leader said, adding that the change signalled an attempt by the party to revisit its social media strategy.
The new team also reflects a greater emphasis on organisational experience, a second party leader said. “A lot of people who have previously worked in state units and in various capacities in morchas have been picked. These are people who have age on their side, administrative and organisational experience, and also represent social diversity,” said the second leader, citing Ashish Agarwal, co-convenor of the media cell, and national secretaries Manoj Tigga and Bhola Singh.
The party has also sought to balance younger faces with leaders carrying institutional experience. Former chief ministers Vasundhara Raje, Tirath Singh Rawat and Biplab Deb, along with senior leaders such as Tawde and Bansal, provide that continuity.
“Whenever a new team is announced, balance is key. While the party president Nitin Nabin is the youngest president that the party has had since inception, so it was imperative to have experienced hands on board as well, who have institutional memory and insight of how senior leaders worked,” the first leader said.
The appointments also underline the party’s emphasis on professional and social diversity, the second leader said. “The party has taken care to ensure professional diversity as well, there are professors, doctors, PhDs, Chartered Accountants and lawyers.”
