Performance Politics May Sideline Shivraj in BJP President Race

Buzz over BJP leadership change resurfaces; RSS reportedly backs Shivraj, but Modi may prefer to retain him as minister

By MANISH ANAND

NEW DELHI, July 4, 2025 – The recurring speculation around the ‘election’ of the next Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president has returned, with fresh claims suggesting that the process may be completed within the next 20 days.

“We aren’t a family-owned political party. Decisions take time. Once Prime Minister Narendra Modi returns, the process of electing the new president will accelerate,” said a BJP national general secretary.

According to the party, internal ‘elections’ for state unit presidents in nearly 20 states have been completed — a prerequisite for launching the selection process for the national president. Though the BJP maintains that its party chief is elected, political observers argue that the appointment is largely the result of a consensus between the most influential figure in the BJP-led establishment and the party’s ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Sources suggest that the RSS is backing Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for the role. “If he is appointed BJP president, he will automatically emerge as a frontrunner for the party’s prime ministerial face in the 2029 elections,” noted a senior BJP leader.

Delhi’s political circles and media outlets have floated over two dozen names as possible successors to the incumbent Jagat Prakash Nadda, who has completed six years as BJP chief — double the standard three-year term. In the latest buzz, focus has narrowed to Chouhan, along with Union Ministers Manohar Lal Khattar, Bhupender Yadav, Dharmendra Pradhan, and Pralhad Joshi.

Chouhan has gained a reputation as a competent performer in the Modi Cabinet. “There’s been a noticeable calm on the farmers’ front. Under his leadership, there have been no major agitations that could embarrass the government. After years, the Prime Minister finally has a dependable Agriculture Minister,” a senior BJP functionary remarked.

However, this very performance might work against Chouhan’s elevation. “The Prime Minister is unlikely to relieve a performing minister, particularly in a politically sensitive portfolio like agriculture,” the leader added. “Even if the RSS insists, Modi may resist the move.”

Chouhan, who served as Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister for nearly two decades, led the BJP to a surprise victory in the 2023 state elections, only to be replaced by Mohan Yadav as Chief Minister. He was later brought into the Union Cabinet, reportedly earning credit for his discipline in not expressing dissatisfaction publicly.

As BJP insiders wait for Modi’s return to give clarity to the leadership transition, it remains uncertain whether performance in governance will be rewarded with promotion — or seen as too valuable to lose.

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About The Author

Manish Anand

Manish Anand is a senior journalist with more than two decades of hardcore reporting on beats such as Prime Minister’s Office, Parliament, BJP, Congress, Planning Commission, NITI Aayog, and scores of Union Ministries.

His past has been with The New Indian Express, The Asian Age/Deccan Chronicle, and The Statesman.

For about 15 years, Manish was also a regular commentator and host for talks on AIR on foreign affairs.

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