Nadda gets a leg-up in BJP pecking order

Times News Network
New Delhi: With J P Nadda appointed working president of BJP, a first for the party, protocol has been rejigged with the leader from Himachal Pradesh now occupying a slot that distinguishes him from a plethora of general secretaries and vice-presidents.
The reworked pecking order was visible at the President’s address to the joint sitting of Parliament where Nadda had a front row seat along with bigwigs PM Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah.The elevation, which had been speculated since he was not re-inducted into the cabinet, was clearly outlined.
Nadda has been a member of the BJP parliamentary board for some time but a low profile presence. His long legislative career saw him hold portfolios in the Himachal Pradesh government and his organisational experience included an association with Modi when he was in-charge of the state.
Shah’s shift to the government and the need to appoint a leader who can deal with organisational work put the spotlight on Nadda, who has a wide net of associations in the Sangh Parivar. Having been mentioned earlier for the party’s top post, he was the choice for working president as Shah continues to be party chief.
The post is seen as an interim measure and once the BJP organisational election process is over, by which time state elections to Haryana, Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Delhi should be concluded early next year, a call could be taken on a more permanent arrangement. This possibility makes his appointment more crucial and beyond the immediate imperative of Shah being in change of the organisation.
The party has organised several events in the recent past when Nadda’s hierarchy could be seen above other office-bearers. A day after the parliamentary board nominated him as working president, Nadda was accorded a red carpet welcome at the party office in the presence of senior office-bearers including Shah. He was also the one to “welcome” TDP MPs who joined the party.
Nadda has already presided over several meetings of the party, including the membership expansion committee under former MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan.