The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday appointed Aditya Sahu as its new Jharkhand state president, with the formal announcement of his unopposed election made at a party programme in Ranchi.
The declaration was made by the party’s state election officer Juel Oraon, who said the organisational election process was completed smoothly with the cooperation of party workers. Expressing confidence in the new leadership, Oraon said the BJP would strengthen its organisational base and improve its performance in the state under Sahu’s stewardship.
Former Chief Minister Arjun Munda congratulated Sahu, describing him as simple, humble and deeply committed to the organisation. He said the party faced challenges ahead but would overcome them collectively, expressing confidence that the BJP would return to power in Jharkhand in 2029.
Leader of the Opposition Babulal Marandi recalled his long political association with Sahu, from booth-level work to state leadership. He said Jharkhand was created under BJP leadership but had yet to realise its full development potential even after 25 years. Marandi said the party’s disciplined and organised cadre base remained its biggest strength and urged workers to deploy it effectively. He also referred to recent protests over the deteriorating law and order situation in Ranchi and other parts of the state.
After assuming charge, Sahu said the BJP’s growth was rooted in the ideals of Deendayal Upadhyaya, Syama Prasad Mukherjee and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He said senior leaders had strengthened the organisation by working consistently among farmers, villages and urban areas, even during adverse political circumstances.
Thanking Narendra Modi, the BJP national president and the party’s central leadership for reposing faith in him, Sahu paid tributes to the martyrs of Jharkhand. Addressing central ministers, MPs, former state presidents and party workers, he said he had inherited a well-organised party and would focus on empowering workers at the last rung of the organisation. He added that the BJP would continue to raise public issues related to governance and the protection of land, forests and natural resources in a firm and democratic manner.
Sahu was born on October 7, 1963, in Ranchi. He began his political journey as a booth-level worker in 1980 and went on to serve in various organisational roles, including youth wing president, OBC Morcha mandal general secretary, Ranchi district vice-president and district president between 2003 and 2010. He was a member of the state executive from 2010 to 2014, state vice-president from 2015 to 2019, state general secretary from 2019, and was appointed working president in October 2025.
The appointment drew reactions from allies as well as the opposition. The AJSU Party welcomed the decision, with its central president and former deputy chief minister Sudesh Mahato expressing confidence that the BJP organisation and the National Democratic Alliance would gain further strength in Jharkhand under Sahu’s leadership. AJSU leaders Devsharan Bhagat and Praveen Prabhakar said Sahu’s organisational experience would energise both the BJP and the NDA.
Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth also congratulated Sahu, saying his organisational experience and commitment would further strengthen the party in Jharkhand, particularly on issues related to organisational expansion and the protection of land, forests and natural resources.
The Indian National Congress, however, criticised the appointment process. Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee general secretary and media in-charge Rakesh Sinha alleged that the BJP’s state president was chosen through nomination rather than a democratic election. He claimed the process reflected the erosion of internal democracy within the BJP and accused the party of functioning as a “pocket organisation” controlled by Narendra Modi and Amit Shah.