Dharmendra Pradhan, Bhupender Yadav Appointed As BJP’s Poll In-Charges For Bihar, Bengal – Delhi News Daily

In Tamil Nadu, the BJP picked Lok Sabha MP Baijayant Panda as election in-charge and Minister of State (MoS) Murlidhar Mohal co-in-charge. (File)

Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Bhupender Yadav have been appointed as the BJP’s election in-charge for Bihar and Bengal. Both Other Backward Classes (OBCs) leaders have emerged as the most seasoned poll managers of the party in recent years.

Pradhan has handled the party’s responsibility in Haryana for the 2024 and ​Uttar Pradesh elections, besides overseeing polls previously in Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. Notably, Pradhan was the party’s co-incharge for the 2010 Bihar polls, when the BJP-JD(U) alliance scored its most emphatic victory.

Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Paatil and Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya have been made election co-incharges for Bihar, where polls are scheduled to be held in October-November.

The BJP has handed over Bengal poll responsibility to Bhupender Yadav, who ensured the party’s victory in Maharashtra, ​Madhya Pradesh, ​Manipur, ​Bihar, ​Jharkhand (2014) and ​Rajasthan (2013). He was also made the election in-charge for the 2017 Gujarat assembly elections.

Former Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb is the co-incharge for West Bengal.

In Tamil Nadu, the BJP picked Lok Sabha MP Baijayant Panda as election in-charge and Minister of State (MoS) Murlidhar Mohal co-in-charge.

The Bihar elections are expected in November, followed by West Bengal and Tamil Nadu which are likely to go to polls in March-April 2026.

With the BJP’s national leadership plays a central role in shaping the party’s campaign for Assembly polls, election in-charges play a critical part as their bridge with state leaders and implementing the party’s strategies on the ground. The co-incharges assist them in implementing the agenda.

While the BJP is eying to retain power with its main ally Janata Dal (United) in Bihar, it hopes to breach Trinamool Congress’ citadel of West Bengal, where it has emerged as the main challenger to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who will complete 15 years at the helm by the next elections.

(with PTI inputs)