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New BJP chief by May 2

The Bharatiya Janata Party will have a new president on May 2.

According to party general secretary M Venkaiah Naidu, the new president will be elected at the national council meeting, to be held between May 1 and 3. The venue of the meeting is yet to be decided.

Naidu said the party's national executive would meet in New Delhi on April 11 and 12 to chalk out the programme for the party's presidential election.

The meeting would discuss the overdue organisational elections, including the presidential election, review the Lok Sabha results and decide the future course of action, he said.

Party vice-president Jana Krishnamoorty, who is the returning officer for the organisational elections, would announce the time table within a week.

He said the organisational elections in Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh will be completed by the month-end.

The party had decided to observe April 6, the party's foundation day, as Sankalp Diwas (pledge day), when the party leaders and the cadre will rededicate themselves to build a strong India.

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will administer the pledge at the party's headquarters to a select gathering while party president Lal Kishinchand Advani will do the same in Bombay. The BJP was formed on April 6, 1980, at Bombay.

UNI

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