Major shake-up among BJP brass in Delhi ahead of 2024 LS polls: Pawan Rana appointed party gen secy
In a significant organisational shake-up in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Delhi BJP general secretary (organisation) Siddharthan has been replaced by his counterpart from Himachal Pradesh Pawan Rana, according to a communication from BJP national president JP Nadda. Siddharthan will take charge in Himachal Pradesh, instead.
The development also assumes significance since the post of general secretary (organisation) is traditionally occupied by a nominee from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and is considered the link between the party’s units and the Sangh across the country.
In January, The Indian Express had reported the possibility of a change at the post.
According to party sources, Rana, who so far assumed the same post in Himachal Pradesh, will replace Siddharthan at a time when the BJP’s Delhi unit has just seen the appointment of Virendra Sachdeva as its full-time president after having been given charge as working president following the party’s lacklustre performance in last year’s MCD elections and the resignation of its then-president Adesh Gupta.
The party’s state unit is over the coming days, according to insiders, scheduled to see an overhaul with the Lok Sabha elections in mind. Several organisational changes within the Delhi unit, according to party sources, are expected following the conclusion of the Karnataka Assembly polls.
Siddharthan was appointed to the post in 2015 — soon after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) came to power — and oversaw the party’s affairs for the 2017 MCD, 2019 Lok Sabha, 2020 Delhi Assembly and 2022 MCD elections during his tenure.
