Patna: Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan has stepped into his new role as the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) election in-charge for Bihar, with a visit to Patna scheduled for Friday. He is expected to hold a crucial meeting with state leaders to review the party’s organisational readiness and poll strategy.
The BJP announced Pradhan’s appointment on Thursday, naming Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya and Gujarat party president CR Patil as deputy in-charges. The move comes weeks before the Election Commission is expected to declare the schedule for Bihar’s 243-seat assembly polls.
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi after his appointment, Pradhan invoked the BJP-JD (U) alliance: “Under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, we have been in power in Bihar for the past 20 years. With the support and vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and under Nitish’s leadership, the people of Bihar will give us another opportunity to serve.”
The BJP will contest the elections in alliance with Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United), the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), the Hindustani Awam Morcha, and the Rashtriya Lok Morcha. However, seat-sharing arrangements within the NDA remain unresolved. The Patna meeting is expected to provide direction as the alliance faces mounting pressure to reach an agreement before campaigning intensifies.
