BJP chief Jagat Prakash Nadda will continue to head the party till June next year, the party’s senior strategist Amit Shah announced on the second day of its national executive meet. The term of Mr Nadda — who took over the party’s top post from Amit Shah in 2020 — was scheduled to end in January this year. But there was expectation that his term will be extended, with nine state elections lined up this year and general elections in 2024.

“The BJP national executive unanimously decided to extend party president JP Nadda’s term till June 2024,” Amit Shah announced at a press conference. “We are confident that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Nadda, the party will win 2024 Lok Sabha polls with bigger mandate than 2019,” Mr Shah said.

BJP leaders agree that Mr Nadda enjoys the confidence of PM Modi and his good performance has enabled the party to decide on an extension.

Mr Shah  underscored that the BJP won many state elections under Mr Nadda’s leadership and expressed confidence that it would achieve a bigger mandate than 2019 in 2024. He also lauded Mr Nadda’s leadership during the pandemic, saying he connected the party organisation with the service of people.

Besides, caste equations are also in favour of Mr Nadda.

Sources say under the BJP constitution, a party president can get two consecutive terms of three years each. There is also a provision that after the organisational elections are held in at least 50 per cent of the state units, the process of election of the national president can start.

Yesterday, Mr Nadda had underscored that party leaders must ensure victory in all nine state assembly polls slated for this year.

PM Modi is expected to outline the political roadmap for the party this evening in the valedictory session of the meeting, which is being attended by the party’s union ministers, state chief ministers and around 350 leaders from across the country.