Smriti Irani's Big Comeback: BJP's New Team Puts Women and Experienced Leaders in Focus

The Bharatiya Janata Party has unveiled a major reshuffle of its national organisation under president Nitin Nabin, bringing several experienced leaders back into prominent positions while also giving greater representation to women.

The most closely watched appointment is the return of former Union minister Smriti Irani, who has been appointed a National General Secretary. Irani, a prominent BJP leader and former Union minister, had been outside Parliament since losing the Amethi Lok Sabha seat in the 2024 general election. Her return to the party's core organisational structure marks an important comeback at the national level.

The new organisational team also includes several familiar names. Vasundhara Raje Scindia, Ram Madhav, Baijayant Panda and Tirath Singh Rawat are among the leaders appointed as national vice-presidents. Piyush Goyal has been given the responsibility of national treasurer, while B.L. Santosh continues as National General Secretary (Organisation).

One of the most notable features of the reshuffle is the representation of women. Six of the BJP's 13 national vice-presidents are women, while four women have also been appointed among the party's 16 national secretaries. The vice-presidential list includes leaders such as D. Purandeshwari, Rekha Verma, Varshaben Narendrabhai Doshi and Dr Bharti Pravin Pawar.

The appointments come as Nitin Nabin seeks to shape his organisational team after taking over as BJP national president earlier this year. The new structure combines veteran political leaders with newer faces and wider regional representation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the new team as a combination of experience, energy and grassroots connectivity.

Smriti Irani's appointment is particularly significant because she has previously held several important positions within the BJP and served in the Union government. Her return to a national organisational post could put her back at the centre of the party's political and organisational activities.

The reshuffle therefore represents more than a routine appointment exercise. It signals Nitin Nabin's effort to build a national organisation that combines experienced leadership, younger political energy, women leaders and wider social and regional representation.

With Smriti Irani back in a key role and several veteran leaders returning to the national team, the BJP's new organisational structure is likely to remain closely watched as the party prepares for its upcoming political challenges.