BJP to Announce New West Bengal President on July 3 as Samik Bhattacharya and Sukanta Majumdar Lead the Race
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is gearing up to announce its new West Bengal state president next week as part of its strategic preparations for the crucial 2026 West Bengal assembly elections. According to official communication from the party, the nomination process for the post will commence on Wednesday, July 2. As per the notice issued by returning officer and MLA Deepak Barman, scrutiny and withdrawal of nominations will be completed on the same day. The final list of candidates is expected to be published by 6 PM on Wednesday. If more than one candidate remains in the fray after scrutiny, voting will be held on Thursday, July 3, from 12 noon to 1:30 PM, with results to be declared immediately after.
The formal declaration of the new BJP Bengal unit chief is scheduled to take place during a grand “president felicitation” ceremony at the Science City Auditorium in Kolkata on July 3. Around 415 members of the state council are expected to cast their votes in case of a contest, although many party insiders suggest that the process may culminate in a consensus decision made by the BJP’s central leadership.
Two names have emerged as the leading contenders for the role. First is Samik Bhattacharya, a seasoned politician and Rajya Sabha MP, whose recent visit to BJP national president JP Nadda’s residence in Delhi has fueled strong speculation about his candidacy. Sources indicate that senior BJP leader and former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who is overseeing the state presidential election process, was also present during the meeting. While Bhattacharya has dismissed the rumors, clarifying that his meeting with Nadda was solely to brief him on a parliamentary delegation visit regarding Operation Sindoor, political observers believe his growing proximity to the central leadership could work in his favor.
On the other hand, incumbent West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar remains a serious contender. A two-time Lok Sabha MP from Balurghat, Majumdar has held the state president’s post since 2021. While some within the party believe a leadership change is necessary to bring a fresh perspective ahead of the 2026 elections, others caution that replacing Majumdar just eight months before the polls could unsettle the party’s already fragile organizational structure in the state.
The central BJP leadership appears to be weighing continuity against change, experience against renewal, and loyalty against fresh energy as it prepares to make a decision that could shape the party’s prospects in West Bengal. With high political stakes and internal dynamics at play, the choice of the new state president is expected to reflect a carefully calibrated move to balance strategic electoral needs with internal party cohesion.
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