New Delhi: Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is likely to replace Amit Shah as BJP national president as the latter may be rewarded with a ministerial berth in the newly elected Modi government, sources said.
Even though there is no official confirmation by the BJP regarding the successor of Shah, it is being widely speculated that two Union Ministers – JP Nadda and Dharmendra Pradhan are in the race to grab the top post of the saffron party.
Shah, who won the Gujarat’s Gandhingar Lok Sabha seat in his maiden general election contest, might get the finance portfolio in case veteran leader Arun Jaitley decides to take a break for health reasons, media reports suggest.
In line with the BJP’s ‘one person, one post’ criterion, Shah may give up the post of national president and focus on his new role in the Modi cabinet for the successful implementation of various government schemes, sources said.
After Shah’s induction in the cabinet, either Pradhan or Nadda will be considered for the party’s national president as Shah has confidence on both the leaders.
In comparison to Nadda, Pradhan’s chance of becoming the BJP national president is more, sources said.