BJP amends its constitution to empower Parliamentary Board to take decision on its president

New Delhi: The BJP's national convention on Sunday amended the party's constitution, allowing its apex organisational body -- the Parliamentary Board -- to take a decision related to its president, including his or her term and its extension, in "emergency" situations.

A proposal to this effect was brought by the party's general secretary Sunil Bansal.

The party president is generally elected through organisational polls after a few elections are carried out in at least 50 per cent of its state bodies. The state BJP organisation poll is also contingent upon elections in district bodies and so on.

Sources said when the party is busy preparing for assembly or Lok Sabha elections, it is hard to follow the laid down practice for the internal polls.

Incumbent president J P Nadda is currently on an extended tenure till June 30 in the view of Lok Sabha polls.

Though the party has not elaborated on the details and rationale behind the amendment, sources said it may have to do with the future appointments of its presidents.

The two-day convention, which ended on Sunday, also saw the passage of three resolutions.

Some party leaders indicated that several leaders from different parties, including the Congress, may join it in the next few weeks as the BJP looks to achieve its target of winning 370 seats in the elections to 543-member Lok Sabha.

A party leader said MP Nakul Nath, the son of senior Congress leader Kamal Nath, may join the BJP amid intense speculation that the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister may take the plunge himself.

He also named some other Congress leaders, including former Union ministers and current MPs, who have switched over. The focus will be on strong leaders in places where the BJP may not be very strong, he added.

A meeting of chief ministers and deputy chief ministers of the BJP was held following the convention's conclusion and they discussed the details of the party's strategy to win 370 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Nadda also attended the meeting.