BJP’s Nabin Team: 3 Key Takeaways, From Rewards to Piyush Goyal’s Crucial Entry

Nearly seven months after Nitin Nabin took charge as the Bharatiya Janata Party’s national president, the BJP has announced its revamped team of national office-bearers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier referred to Nabin as his “boss”, and the new appointments come at an important political juncture for the party.

The BJP is preparing for a series of crucial state elections, including the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, before turning its focus to the 2029 Lok Sabha election. The new organisational structure also appears relatively younger, with 46-year-old Nabin at its helm.

Here are three major takeaways from the BJP’s new team.

1. Smriti Irani and Biplab Deb Get Major Organisational Roles

Smriti Irani’s elevation to national general secretary is among the most significant changes. While national vice presidents hold a senior position, general secretaries are generally considered to have greater influence over the party’s day-to-day political and organisational functioning.

Irani left the Union Cabinet in June 2024 after losing the Amethi Lok Sabha election. However, she remained active in BJP campaigns across several states, including West Bengal, Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra, Delhi and Bihar.

Her continued campaigning appears to have strengthened her standing within the organisation. Her new position gives her a more direct role in the BJP’s national political and organisational strategy.

Biplab Kumar Deb has also been rewarded with a prominent position after his organisational assignments in Haryana and West Bengal.

After being replaced as Tripura chief minister, Deb moved to the BJP’s central organisation and was made Haryana in-charge. The BJP subsequently won both the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in the state.

He was later given an important role in the BJP’s West Bengal election machinery. His work, particularly in North Bengal, helped strengthen his organisational credentials.

His latest elevation suggests that the BJP leadership has placed considerable value on his electoral experience, organisational performance and loyalty to the party after his removal as Tripura chief minister.

2. Why Piyush Goyal’s Return as Treasurer Matters

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal’s appointment as BJP national treasurer has attracted particular attention.

Goyal replaces Rajesh Agarwal, who had held the post since 2020. The appointment is notable because Goyal himself previously served as BJP treasurer before joining the Union Cabinet.

His return to the organisational post also raises questions because of the BJP’s long-standing “one person, one post” principle.

The party has followed this principle in several cases involving leaders who simultaneously held government and organisational positions. That has led to speculation about whether Goyal could eventually relinquish his ministerial responsibility.

There is no confirmation that such a move is being planned. However, with speculation about a possible Union Cabinet reshuffle, Goyal’s new organisational assignment is likely to generate further discussion about his future role in the government.

3. Ram Madhav Makes a Significant Comeback

The return of Ram Madhav is another major development in the BJP’s new structure.

Madhav served as the party’s national general secretary from 2014 before being dropped from the post in 2020. He subsequently returned to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and became an executive member.

His gradual return to active BJP politics became visible during the 2024 Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election, when he was appointed an election in-charge alongside Union minister G Kishan Reddy.

Madhav had considerable experience in Jammu and Kashmir, having played a key role in the BJP-PDP alliance formed after the 2014 Assembly election and later during the breakdown of that alliance.

The BJP won 29 seats in the 2024 Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election under the charge of Madhav and Reddy, its highest tally in the Union Territory.

His appointment as national vice president therefore represents more than a routine organisational reshuffle. It signals the return of a leader with considerable experience in strategy, coalition politics and sensitive political assignments.

Other Significant Changes

BL Santhosh continues as national general secretary (organisation), retaining one of the BJP’s most influential organisational positions.

Former journalist and BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari has also received a new responsibility as media co-convenor.

The BJP has simultaneously placed greater emphasis on its digital communication machinery, with the party’s IT structure now being described as its social media setup.

Overall, Nabin’s new team combines experienced organisational hands with leaders who have recently demonstrated electoral or political utility. The appointments offer an early indication of how the BJP intends to strengthen its organisation ahead of the next round of state elections and, eventually, the 2029 Lok Sabha battle.