The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is currently undergoing a major organizational overhaul. After announcing new state and Union Territory unit chiefs, the party has now turned its attention to appointing a new national president.
JP Nadda’s Extended Term Nears End
JP Nadda has been serving as BJP’s national president since 2020. Although his official term ended in 2023, the party extended it until 2024 to let him guide the BJP through the Lok Sabha elections.
Now that the elections are over, the party is preparing to name a successor. According to Live Hindustan, there is a strong possibility that the BJP may appoint its first-ever woman national president.
Top Women Leaders in the Race
Nirmala Sitharaman
One of the top contenders is Nirmala Sitharaman, who has been India’s Finance Minister since 2019, after the BJP won its second term. She is widely regarded as one of the most influential women in the party.
Sitharaman also hails from Tamil Nadu, a factor that may help the BJP expand its reach in South India. Recently, she met with JP Nadda and BJP General Secretary BL Santhosh at the party headquarters.
D Purandeswari
Another name being considered is D Purandeswari, who previously served as the BJP Andhra Pradesh unit president. She played a key role in Operation Sindoor, a government initiative that took India’s anti-terror message to countries like the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Denmark, and the EU.
Vanathi Srinivasan
The third possible candidate is Vanathi Srinivasan, who has served as the BJP Mahila Morcha National President. In the 2021 Tamil Nadu elections, she defeated actor and MNM founder Kamal Haasan in Coimbatore (South).
Srinivasan joined the BJP in 1993 and was inducted into the BJP Central Election Committee in 2022.
Why BJP May Choose a Woman President
Sources told Live Hindustan that the BJP is seriously considering a woman leader because of the party’s increasing influence among women voters.
Moreover, in 2023, the BJP-led government successfully passed the Women’s Reservation Bill in Parliament. This bill aims to provide 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
By appointing a woman as the national president, the BJP could send a strong message of support for women’s empowerment and show alignment with its own legislation.
