The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has appointed Ram Madhav, a senior figure in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), as the election in-charge for Jammu and Kashmir, indicating the RSS’s growing involvement in BJP’s political affairs. Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, who is also the BJP’s Telangana president, has also been given the responsibility as poll in-charge for the region, which will soon hold its first assembly elections since being declared a Union Territory in 2019.
Ram Madhav, who previously served as the BJP’s national general secretary, was removed from the position in September 2020 when J P Nadda formed his team after becoming the party president. Known for his influential role in BJP’s earlier activities in the northeast and Jammu and Kashmir, Madhav’s experience is expected to be an asset for the party. Sources indicate that his return was considered by the BJP leadership recently, as they believed his expertise in handling the region as a full-fledged state could be beneficial.
Madhav is recognized for his significant contribution to the formation of the BJP-led government in Jammu and Kashmir in alliance with Mehbooba Mufti’s PDP, though the alliance ended in 2018, leading to the imposition of President’s rule in the state. His strong connections with the RSS underline the organization’s prominent role in BJP’s strategy moving forward.