As J P Nadda’s tenure nears its end, what challenges await the next BJP president?

Shah finished his run on a high as the BJP convincingly returned to power, bagging 303 seats on its own. Nadda was first appointed the party’s working president in June 2019 and was unanimously elected the national president in January 2020.

Stepping into his role, Nadda stitched up an effective working relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah, with party insiders saying that he derived his authority from them. He was appreciated in the party for being a good listener and acting as a “shock absorber”, pushing through hard decisions without leaving any grudge in their wake.

Nadda, now 64, led the BJP to 26 electoral victories — both Lok Sabha and Assembly polls — setting a new party record stretching back to its Jana Sangh days. The BJP managed to win back Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh towards the end of 2023.

Nadda created a stir during the Lok Sabha elections when, in an interview to The Indian Express, he said the BJP was capable of running its affairs and did not need the RSS like before. This revealed differences between the Sangh and the BJP and was cited as one of the reasons for the party’s subpar performance: its tally dropped from 303 Lok Sabha seats to 242, with a section of its backward class support base shifting towards the Opposition.

However, this did not dent Nadda’s political capital as he was elevated to the Union Cabinet and given an extension as the party chief. The BJP then managed to shake off the Lok Sabha disappointment as it registered wins in Haryana, Maharashtra, and recently Delhi.

Task cut out for Nadda’s successor

For the next BJP chief, establishing the party’s dominance in the South remains one of the primary tasks. While the party grew rapidly and consolidated itself under Shah and Nadda in the North, West, East, and Northeast, the party’s position in the South remains tenuous.

While the BJP was dislodged from power in Karnataka in 2023, it has struggled to make inroads in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana and is the juniormost partner in the ruling alliance in Andhra Pradesh. Senior BJP leaders have admitted that the party is still viewed there as a North Indian party with Hindi-speaking leaders, and that continues to be a hurdle. Though the party prepared a blueprint for its South Mission in 2016, it never worked effectively. This is despite a strong RSS network in Andhra, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala that could work as a natural platform like in Karnataka.

The appointment of a new BJP president will mark a new phase in which the party will look to expand in South India. This has fuelled talk of the party picking Nadda’s successor from the region. Though the leadership is keeping its cards close to its chest, the names of Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi, from Karnataka, and Kishan Reddy and OBC Morcha head K Laxman, both from Telangana, are doing the rounds in party circles.

The BJP will also look to grow further in the Northeast. To expand both there and in the South, it will be crucial for the party to make inroads among Christians and tribals. These communities will hold the keys to success in the entrenched politics of states such as Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and also the Northeast.

A BJP leader said the new president would also have to ensure that the party gains and retains the support of more of the youth and develops a strong second-rung leadership.