Chandigarh : The BJP on Wednesday handed the organisational charge of Haryana to former Union minister and national general secretary Smriti Irani , replacing Rajya Sabha MP Satish Poonia , in a significant reshuffle of its state in-charges. National secretary and MP Dr Bhola Singh has been appointed co-in charge.




The appointments are part of a wider BJP organisational rejig covering states and Union territories. The changes come at a time when the party is recalibrating its organisational machinery for the next electoral cycle. While the next Haryana Assembly election is due in 2029, the reshuffle is being viewed within the party as part of the longer preparation for the 2029 Lok Sabha contest and consolidation of the organisation ahead of it. Irani brings experience of both government and national-level party organisation to the Haryana assignment. She served as a Union minister and has now been given charge of both Haryana and Chhattisgarh.




Singh, meanwhile, is being brought in to assist her in Haryana, with the BJP projecting his organisational experience and connect with party workers as an asset.




Haryana BJP president Dr Archana Gupta welcomed the appointments, saying Irani’s “wide experience in national politics, government and organisation would provide important guidance to the state unit.” She also highlighted Bhola Singh’s long organisational experience and his ability to work closely with workers.




“The experience and organisational capability of the new in-charge and co-in-charge will give new energy and direction to the state organisation,” Gupta said. The latest change comes barely four months after the BJP replaced Mohan Lal Badoli with Gupta as its Haryana president. Gupta, who had earlier served as a state general secretary, formally took charge in June. The BJP had then described the new leadership as an opportunity to give fresh momentum to the organisation and strengthen its reach from the booth level upwards. The sequence of changes — first at the state president level and now at the state in-charge level — signals continued attention by the BJP central leadership to its Haryana organisation. The party has been emphasising booth-level strengthening , worker engagement and expansion across social groups.




Gupta also thanked outgoing in-charge Poonia and co-in-charge Surendra Nagar for their contribution, saying their guidance had helped shape organisational activities and maintain dialogue with workers.




“Organisational responsibility changes are a natural process in the BJP. Every office-bearer contributes to strengthening the organisation through his or her experience,” Gupta said. Poonia had been appointed Haryana in-charge in July 2023, ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. He has now been moved to another politically significant assignment, with the BJP giving him charge of Punjab.