Tariq Manssor
Andalib Akhter / New Delhi
BJP president Nitin Nabin on Monday unveiled the party’s much-awaited new national team, nearly 200 days after taking charge, appointing 76 office-bearers in a mix of senior and younger leaders.
The new organisational team has drawn attention for the inclusion of two prominent Muslim faces, even as there is currently no Muslim representation in the Narendra Modi-led Union government.
Former Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) Vice Chancellor Tariq Mansoor has been appointed as a national vice-president of the BJP. Mansoor, who has been associated with the party, is considered a prominent Muslim face within the BJP.
Another Muslim leader, Kunwar Basit Ali, has been appointed president of the BJP’s Minority Morcha. His appointment gives him a key organisational role in the party’s outreach to minority communities.
The inclusion of the two Muslim leaders assumes significance at a time when the BJP’s representation of Muslims in electoral politics and government has frequently been a subject of political debate.
The new team has an average age of around 60 years. Women, however, account for only 12 of the 76 office-bearers, or around 15 per cent, despite the BJP’s stated commitment to 33 per cent reservation for women.
The appointments are expected to shape the BJP’s organisational strategy and outreach ahead of the upcoming electoral challenges.
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