National President Nitin Naveen, who is considered a symbol of generational change in BJP, took about eight months to prepare his new team. 35-year-old Hemang Joshi is the youngest member of 46-year-old Nitin Naveen's 65-member team, while 73-year-old Vasundhara Raje is the oldest face.
New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president Nitin Naveen has formed his 65-member national team after a process of about eight months. Hemang Joshi, 35, is the youngest member of the new team, while former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje is the most senior face at 73. The average age of the team is said to be around 54 years, which can be considered relatively young in terms of Indian politics.
However, the challenge before this team is not just to strengthen the organization. Dealing with the growing resentment among young voters, especially Gen Z, with the upcoming assembly elections could prove to be a significant political test for the BJP.
Why is it a challenge to cultivate Gen Z?
In recent times, the activism of youth has increased on issues related to education system, recruitment examinations, employment and examination process. Protests have been seen from students and youth in different parts of the country. Such movements have posed a challenge to political parties to communicate with the youth and understand their problems.
Efforts are being made by BJP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to increase their reach among the young generation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat have also been communicating with the youth on different platforms. However, the need for better coordination is being felt in the statements and messages of the leaders associated with the party and the Sangh.
Some political statements made regarding the youth have also given rise to debate on social media. In such an environment, the most important challenge for Nitin Naveen's new team will be to establish effective dialogue on the issues of the youth instead of seeing their dissatisfaction as mere political protest.
Education and examination system became a big issue
Problems related to education, competitive examinations and government recruitment have not arisen suddenly. Issues like paper leaks, delays in recruitment process, exam results and transparency have been a cause of concern among students for a long time. These problems affect the central as well as the state governments. BJP is in power in many states of the country, hence youth movement and education related complaints can become a political challenge for the party. If there is no effective solution and dialogue on these issues in time, then the impact of the resentment of young voters can be seen in the coming elections.
Monsoon session of Parliament also challenging for BJP
The current monsoon session of Parliament has also not been easy for the Central Government and BJP. The opposition is putting pressure on the government on many issues and political conflicts are being seen continuously in the House. The ruling party and the opposition have been blaming each other for the parliamentary deadlock. The challenge before the BJP is to respond to the attacks of the opposition as well as effectively carry forward the proceedings of Parliament and the legislative agenda of the government.
New political challenge before BJP after 2024
BJP succeeded in forming the government at the Center for the third consecutive time, but the party fell short of the majority mark on its own in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. After this, the party gained political strength by performing well in several assembly elections. The split in opposition parties and political equations also strengthened BJP's position in many places.
Nevertheless, the result of the Lok Sabha elections indicates that the party needs to continuously work on new social and generational equations. The role of Gen Z and first-time voters may become more important in the coming elections.
Most attention on Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh will be important in the biggest election test for the new team. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, BJP had suffered a major setback in the state due to the alliance of Samajwadi Party and Congress. Now in preparation for the assembly elections, the party is emphasizing on strengthening the organization and grassroots equations. BJP has made Vinod Tawde in-charge for Uttar Pradesh. Whereas in Punjab, the party has given the responsibility to Rajasthan's Jat leader Satish Poonia. In Punjab, BJP is trying to use the internal differences of Congress and the possible anti-incumbency atmosphere against Aam Aadmi Party in its favor.
However, organizational appointments alone do not ensure electoral success. It will also be necessary to strengthen local issues, social equations and grassroots organization.