Bhopal: In a move seen as a strong signal of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav’s influence, the Bharatiya Janata Party is set to name Hemant Khandelwal as the new Madhya Pradesh BJP president, with his only nomination submitted.
As per the scheduled poll process for the BJP state chief, Khandelwal filed his nomination at the state party headquarters in Bhopal on Tuesday in the presence of election in-charge Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, central observer Saroj Pandey and election officer Vivek Narayan Shejwalkar.
With no rival nominations, Khandelwal’s name is expected to be officially announced on Wednesday, following scrutiny and withdrawal deadlines set for Tuesday evening.
Khandelwal's single nomination hints at CM Yadav’s growing control over party decisions in the state and may reflect efforts to consolidate power or prepare for upcoming political challenges.
Party insiders affirm that the selection reflects CM Yadav’s backing, underscoring his growing influence within the state’s BJP apparatus. His decision reportedly garnered consensus across senior party ranks.
CM Yadav proposed Khandelwal's name for the party's state chief in the presence of Union Ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Virendra Kumar Khatik, and outgoing state chief V.D. Sharma.
Khandelwal, 60, holds undergraduate degrees in commerce and law and initially entered politics through a 2007 by‑poll following the death of his father, veteran BJP MP Vijay Kumar Khandelwal. He has served as Lok Sabha MP for four terms. He transitioned to state politics—served as MLA in 2013 and was again elected in 2023. Despite losing in 2018, he maintained a low-profile, consensus-building image backed by both the RSS and party leadership.