Dharmendra Pradhan, Haryana BJP win mastermind, to lead Bihar campaign

NEW DELHI: Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan , a seasoned BJP campaigner and prominent OBC neta with extensive organisational experience, will be in charge of the party's campaign for the Bihar elections likely in November. He will be assisted by Union water resources minister and Gujarat BJP chief C R Patil and UP deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya.

The party also announced key appointments for other critical state elections. Union minister Bhupender Yadav will serve as election in-charge for West Bengal, with former Tripura CM Biplab Kumar Deb as co-in-charge.

In TN, party vice-president Baijayant 'Jay' Panda will oversee the campaign, with Union minister Murlidhar Mohol as co-in-charge.

Pradhan and Yadav, both experienced strategists from the OBC community , have led BJP's election efforts across multiple states. Pradhan managed the Haryana elections and plotted a surprise win. Yadav oversaw the Maharashtra polls in 2024. Maurya and Deb, a Bengali, bring caste and regional advantages to their respective roles.

The Union minister's social background may turn out to be useful in Bihar, which is dominated by OBCs and EBCs. tnn