Aditya Sahu Set to Take Over as Jharkhand BJP President
Aditya Sahu, a Rajya Sabha MP and the BJP's working president in Jharkhand, will officially become the state party chief on Wednesday. He replaces Babulal Marandi, who will retain his position as Leader of Opposition in Jharkhand.
Nomination Process and Unopposed Election
On Tuesday, Sahu filed his nomination for the post of Jharkhand BJP president. No other nominations came in, making his election unopposed. Union minister Jual Oram arrived in Ranchi to oversee the final phase of the party's organisational elections. He will formally announce Sahu as the new chief.
The nomination process took place at the BJP state office. It marked the concluding stage of the BJP's organisational exercise. Acting on directions from the central leadership, Oram supervised the process. Nominations were accepted between noon and 2 pm.
Support from Senior Leaders
Babulal Marandi, the outgoing state BJP president and Leader of Opposition, acted as a presenter for Sahu's nomination. MP Vidyut Varan Mahato also served as a presenter. Several senior leaders proposed Sahu's candidature. They included:
- Former chief minister Arjun Munda
- Union minister Annapurna Devi
- Various state office-bearers
Sahu's Political Journey
Aditya Sahu has climbed the BJP's organisational ladder from the grassroots. He started his political career as a booth-level worker. Over time, he took on larger responsibilities. His roles included:
- Serving as a general secretary at the organisational level
- Holding the position of vice-president
- Gaining experience across different regions of Jharkhand
As a sitting MP, Sahu has also handled key divisional in-charge roles. He previously oversaw Palamu and currently manages Kolhan. This has given him wide exposure to the party's structure and challenges across the state. The BJP appointed him as Jharkhand working president on October 3 last year. This move was part of a broader organisational reshuffle.
Party Perspectives on the Transition
Vikash Pritam Sinha, vice-president of the Jharkhand BJP, praised Sahu's credentials. He said, "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."
On the topic of OBC representation, Pritam explained the party's balanced approach. He stated, "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."
After the nomination window closed, Jual Oram spoke to the media. He confirmed that only one nomination was received for the Jharkhand BJP president post. This indicated Sahu's unopposed election. Oram also noted that 21 nominations were filed for membership of the BJP National Council.
Pritam highlighted the benefits of completing the organisational election process. He said, "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."
Explaining the Leadership Change
BJP spokesperson Praveen Sinha clarified the reasons behind the leadership transition. He explained that it was part of the party's established organisational process. Marandi's three-year tenure as state president had concluded.
Sinha said, "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."
He dismissed suggestions that the change reflected dissatisfaction with Marandi's performance. Sinha emphasised that the outgoing president had been highly active in his dual role. He added, "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."
