The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is reportedly likely to appoint its first woman president with some of prominent names in the fray. BJP chief JP Nadda’s term had ended in January 2023 but his tenure was extended till June 2024, to continue leading the party during the Lok Sabha elections.
Senior party leaders have been holding extensive discussions and prominent names including Nirmala Sitharaman, D Purandeswari, and Vanathi Srinivasan are being considered for the top spot.
Sources have said that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has endorsed the appointment of a woman to the top post, a nod to the symbolic and strategic advantages of female leadership.
BJP also has a significant female voter base, with women playing key roles in the victories of the party in Maharashtra, Haryana and Delhi.
Nirmala Sitharaman
The Union Finance Minister is one of the frontrunners for the BJP presidency. Her wide-ranging experience and leadership has been seen as factors necessary to lead the party. Sitharaman was appointed the Defence Minister in 2017, the second to hold the post after Indira Gandhi, and the second to hold the post full-time. In 2019, Sitharaman was appointed the Finance Minister. In 2025 she presented a record 8th consecutive Union Budget, and is in line to surpass the record of 10 Union Budgets presented by Morarji Desai.
Sitharaman’s appointment as BJP chief could also help the BJP expand its footprint in Southern India, and would also be in line with the party’s proposed 33 per cent reservation for women in Lok Sabha.
D Purandeswari
D Purandeswari is BJP’s former Andhra Pradesh state president, known for her distinguished career across political lines. She is currently the MP from Rajahmundry. She was also part of the Operation Sindoor delegation that was sent to visit multiple counties.
Daughter of NT Rama Rao, D Purandeswari had served as the Minister of State in the Ministry of Human Resource Development in 2009 and MoS in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in 2012.
A multi-lingual leader, D Purandeswari is known for her eloquence and passionate speeches.
Vanathi Srinivasan
The lawyer-turned-politician from Tamil Nadu is another contender for the top spot. She joined BJP in 1993 and since then has held multiple key roles, including State Secretary, General Secretary, and Vice President of Tamil Nadu. She was appointed the National President of the BJP Mahila Morcha in 2020, and became a member of BJP’s Central Election Committee in 2022.
She was first elected as MLA representing the BJP in the 2021 Tamil Nadu from Coimbatore South constituency, defeating Kamal Haasan.
