Booth-level worker who became state president: Meet Aditya Sahu, new BJP Jharkhand chief

Leader of Opposition and outgoing state BJP president Babulal Marandi and MP Vidyut Varan Mahato acted as presenters for Sahu’s nomination. Several senior leaders, including former chief minister Arjun Munda, Union minister Annapurna Devi and state office-bearers, proposed his candidature.

Aditya Sahu has risen through the BJP’s organisational ranks from the grassroots, beginning his political journey as a booth-level worker and gradually taking on larger responsibilities. Over the years, he has served as a general secretary and vice-president at the organisational level, gaining experience across different regions of the state. A sitting MP, Sahu has also held key roles as divisional in-charge — in Palamu earlier and currently in Kolhan — giving him wide exposure to the party’s structure and challenges across Jharkhand. He was appointed the BJP’s Jharkhand working president on October 3, last year, as part of the party’s organisational reshuffle.

“Aditya Sahu is a grassroots leader who has grown step by step within the organisation. He has worked at various levels and has extensive experience of the entire state. He maintains strong coordination within the organisation and remains easily accessible to party workers,” said Vikash Pritam Sinha, vice-president of the Jharkhand BJP.

On OBC representation, Pritam said the party follows a balanced approach in assigning responsibilities. “In the BJP, leadership roles are distributed in a way that ensures representation to different communities. The posts of state president, Leader of the Opposition, Chief Whip and general secretaries together reflect this balance. Babulal Marandi will continue as Leader of the Opposition, while organisational responsibilities are being handled separately,” he said.

Speaking to the media after the nomination window closed, Jual Oram said that only one nomination had been received for the post of Jharkhand BJP president, indicating Sahu’s unopposed election. He said 21 nominations were filed for membership of the BJP National Council.

Pritam said completion in the organisational election process, including the filing of nominations for National Council membership, would bring clarity and momentum to the party’s functioning. “With the organisational structure now in place from top to bottom, responsibilities are clearly defined. This will remove uncertainty among workers and help the organisation function with greater speed and effectiveness across all levels,” he said.

Explaining the leadership transition, BJP spokesperson Praveen Sinha said the change was part of the party’s established organisational process, as Marandi’s three-year tenure as state president had concluded. “In the BJP, the term of a state president is for three years. Once the tenure ends, the organisational election process begins from the mandal and district levels and culminates with the election of the state president,” Sinha said.

Dismissing suggestions that the change reflected dissatisfaction with Marandi’s performance, Sinha said the outgoing president had been highly active in his dual role. “Babulal Marandi was both state president and Leader of the Opposition, which is why he was visible both inside and outside the Assembly. Now, with the change in organisational responsibility, his role will primarily be focused within the House,” he said.