News Brief
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan (Pic Via Twitter)
The BJP has appointed Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan as its in-charge for the upcoming Bihar elections, a high-stakes contest that will test the Nitish Kumar-led NDA’s resilience against the state’s entrenched caste dynamics and the opposition’s demand for change, reported NDTV.
Pradhan will receive support from two co-in-charges: Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil and Uttar Pradesh minister Keshav Prasad Maurya.
The Election Commission is expected to announce the poll dates next month.
Bihar’s political landscape will face intense scrutiny as all 243 seats in the state assembly go to the polls.
The elections will focus on development and law-and-order issues, pitting Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s governance record against Tejashwi Yadav’s push for social justice.
Both camps are actively preparing their alliances, while the influence of election strategist Prashant Kishor’s new Jan Suraaj party remains a factor to watch.
Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav will lead Bengal, with Tripura MP Biplab Deb as co-in-charge. Lok Sabha MP Baijayant Panda will oversee the party’s campaign in Tamil Nadu.
The BJP has already expanded its presence in Bengal and aims to consolidate gains from the previous election, challenging the ruling Trinamool Congress.
In Tamil Nadu, the party will test its prospects against the established dominance of the state’s main Dravidian parties.