Election for next BJP president on Jan 20, JP Nadda likely to be elected unopposed

The announcement of the next national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the successor of Amit Shah, is likely to be made on January 20 as the party on Friday announced the schedule for the election to the top post.

Former Union minister JP Nadda, who is currently the working president of the party, is likely to be elected to BJP's top organisational post unopposed. Nadda is likely to file his nomination for the top post on January 20. 

Currently, the process to elect state chiefs of the party is underway. According to the BJP constitution, the election to the national president is held after 50% of states have conducted organisational elections. 

According to sources, some states asked the central leadership for more time to hold elections as a period between December 15, 2019 and January 14, 2020 was not auspicious. By January 18, almost 80% of the state units are expected to complete the process. 

Radha Mohan Singh, in charge of the BJP's organisational poll process, said that nominations for the election to the top party post will be filed on January 20.

The election will take place the next day if required, he said. 

Some of the party's top leaders, including Union ministers, will file nominations in support of Nadda's candidature on Monday, sources said. 

It is expected that Prime Minister Narendra Modi; Union Ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari; chief ministers of BJP-ruled states and state unit presidents of the party will be present.

Since the party constitution requires the National Executive Council to approve the election, a one-day meeting of top leaders of the BJP would also be held, most likely in Delhi. 

Amit Shah, credited for party's back to back victories in various state elections and 2019 Lok Sabha polls, has held the post for five and a half years. 

Shah has to pass on the baton as he has joined Prime Minister Modi's government as Home Minister. The party follows a convention of 'one person one post' where leaders are not allowed to hold posts in both the party and the government. 

After Shah took oath as Union Home Minister, Nadda was not given a ministerial post in the second term of Modi. He was later appointed as the party's working president in July last year.