BJP president J P Nadda today announced an 80-member National Executive of the party, with names of its top brass, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several Union Ministers, State leaders, and veterans like L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi figuring on the list.

भाजपा राष्ट्रीय अध्यक्ष श्री @JPNadda ने राष्ट्रीय कार्यसमिति एवं राष्ट्रीय कार्यसमिति के लिए विशेष आमंत्रित और स्थायी आमंत्रित (पदेन) सदस्यों की नियुक्ति की। https://t.co/7FRFUICsx7

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Besides 80 regular members, the executive will also have 50 special invitees and 179 permanent invitees.

BJP MP Varun Gandhi, who has been speaking in support of farmers during their ongoing stir against the three agri laws, his MP mother Maneka Gandhi, and former Union Minister Birender Singh, who has also been supportive of the agitation, have been dropped as executive members.

The executive is a key deliberative body of the party which meets to discuss key issues facing the government and shapes the organization’s agenda. The disruption caused by Covid-19 prevented its meeting for a long time.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, and Rajya Sabha Leader of the House and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal are among the top members of the Executive.

Recently inducted Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw is also included in the apex policy-making body. Former Union Ministers like Harsh Vardhan, Ravi Shankar Prasad, and Prakash Javadekar remain members of the national executive.

The Special Invitees and permanent invitees (ex-officio) include Chief Ministers, Deputy Chief Ministers, leaders of the party in legislative assemblies and Councils, State presidents, and national spokespersons, among others.

Besides the Prime Minister, Murli Manohar Joshi and Rajnath Singh, there are 10 other National Executive members from Uttar Pradesh including Mrs. Smriti Irani, and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi. There are six members from West Bengal including Mithun Chakraborty, Dinesh Trivedi, and Swapan Das Gupta. Besides Lal Krishna Advani, there are five other members representing Delhi in the National Executive, including Meenakshi Lekhi.

A release issued by National General Secretary Arun Singh said the National Office-bearers have 13 Vice-Presidents including Dilip Ghosh (West Bengal), Dr Raman Singh (Chhattisgarh), Mrs. Vasundhara Raje Scindia (Rajasthan), and Mrs Baby Rani Maurya and Mrs Rekha Verma (Uttar Pradesh). There are seven national General Secretaries. Uttar Pradesh MLA Rajesh Agarwal is the National Treasurer. There are 23 National Spokespersons.