BJP Rejigs Team for 2029 Lok Sabha Polls, Focuses on Gen Z Connectivity

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar’s latest organisational rejig puts the party’s focus on the 2029 Lok Sabha polls and its bid to strengthen connect with Gen Z at the centre of its strategy. The expanded role assigned to 41-year-old general secretary Anoop Antony as the ‘narrative in charge’ of Mission 2029, alongside charge of the state cells, signals an attempt to sharpen the BJP’s digital outreach and to craft messaging that resonates with a younger, digitally connected electorate. Giving a relatively younger leader a formal role in shaping the party’s narrative suggests that communication and social media outreach are set to assume greater importance in BJP’s preparations for 2029. The move also assumes significance at a time when the party’s support among younger voters has been seen as slipping of late. Besides, Anoop is seen to be close to both the national leadership and the state president. The reshuffle seeks to balance organisational responsibilities across regions and factions within the state unit as well. The development signals the division of the state’s organisational responsibilities equally between general secretaries M T Ramesh and S Suresh. Ramesh has been put in charge of the Kozhikode-Palakkad cluster, while Suresh will oversee the Ernakulam-Thiruvananthapuram cluster. “Assigning the two clusters separately also provides clearer organisational responsibility while potentially accommodating the party’s internal equations,” a senior leader said.