BJP names new state unit president for Odisha, Bihar, Rajasthan and Delhi

The BJP on Thursday named four new state presidents, including Lok Sabha MP C P Joshi in Rajasthan and OBC leader and MLC Samrat Choudhary in Bihar, as the party moves to tone up its organisational machinery with an eye on consolidating its support base in the run up to crucial state and national polls.

BJP president J P Nadda also appointed Manmohan Samal, a former state minister, as the head of the party's Odisha unit, while Delhi working president Virendra Sachdeva was elevated as its chief.

Choudhary (54), whose standing within the BJP has steadily risen after joining the party in 2018, is the leader of the party in the Bihar legislative council and comes from the politically important Kushwaha community. He replaces Lok Sabha MP Sanjay Jaiswal at the helm of the Bihar BJP. Joshi (47) will replace Satish Poonia, an MLA from Jaipur's Amber constituency, and the appointment comes close on the heels of veteran Rajasthan BJP leader Gulab Chand Kataria being eased out of active politics following his appointment as Assam governor.

A Brahmin face, Joshi is a second time MP from Chittorgarh Lok Sabha seat.