BJP chief holds strategy meet for next round of Assembly polls

BJP president Nitin Nabin on Sunday (August 23, 2026) held a meeting with the party’s office-bearers to discuss a range of organisational matters, especially the strategy for high-stakes Assembly elections due in some States next year, including Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, sources said.

The crucial meeting was attended by the newly-appointed office-bearers of the party, presidents of its State units and other key functionaries. Those in-charge of the BJP State units were also present at the meeting held at the BJP headquarters here, according to the sources.

BJP national general secretary (organisation) B.L. Santhosh was also present at the meeting, which delved into measures to strengthen grassroots outreach and youth connect, especially in the States where elections are due next year, the sources said.

There was no official word from the BJP on what transpired in the meeting.

Assembly polls are due in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat in 2027. The BJP is in power in five of these poll-bound States, except Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. While the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) currently rules Punjab, the Congress is in power in Himachal Pradesh.

“It is a crucial meeting to discuss a range of organisational matters with prime focus on the party’s preparations and strategy for the upcoming elections in States next year,” a source told PTI.

This comes a day after Mr. Nabin held his first meeting with all newly appointed national office-bearers of the party. Former office-bearers of the BJP’s national team were also present.

Modi’s interaction

In another meeting presided over by the BJP chief on Saturday (August 22, 2026), party State unit presidents and organising secretaries were also present. After the day-long meeting concluded on Saturday (August 22, 2026), Prime Minister Narendra Modi also visited the BJP headquarters and interacted with all 67 newly appointed national office-bearers of the party. The Prime Minister’s meeting lasted for more than five hours.

“Organisational meetings are all about new ideas and perspectives aimed at strengthening the party and deepening the connection with the people. Great interaction with fellow party colleagues and the new organisational team,” Mr. Modi said in a post, sharing pictures from his meeting with the party leaders.

Sources said Mr. Modi listened to each of the office-bearers and gave “vital suggestions”.

“During the interaction with the newly appointed office-bearers, the Prime Minister listened to each of them very attentively and offered guidance through his suggestions along the way. Mr. Modi urged the new office-bearers to increase outreach and connect with the youth, emphasising the need to stay grounded and engage in greater on-the-ground activity,” a source told PTI.

The BJP national office-bearers’ meeting on Saturday (August 22, 2026) also passed a resolution, condemning the Congress for its decision to sing just two stanzas of Vande Mataram at its events, and vowed to protect the “dignity and the national status” of the full version of the national song.

In a 10-point resolution passed at the meeting, the ruling party also asserted that it will launch a nationwide campaign to spread the significance of Vande Mataram and reminded the Congress that a resolution of its working committee cannot override the constitutional institutions or laws of India.

The BJP also resolved to educate and mobilise people, especially the younger generation, so that all six stanzas of the national song and its history are not forgotten, and future generations understand the “sacrifices, struggles and patriotic awakening with which Vande Mataram is inseparably associated”.

“A political compromise of 1937 cannot be elevated above the constitutional settlement of 1950 and legislation enacted by Parliament in 2026,” the party stated in the resolution.