‘Journey from karyakarta to general secretary humbling’: Smriti Irani on new BJP role

Former Union minister Smriti Irani on Monday described her appointment as BJP national general secretary as a "deeply humbling" moment, marking her return to a prominent political role two years after her defeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Amethi.

Irani was named among the eight national general secretaries in the new team announced by BJP national president Nitin Nabin on Monday. The sweeping organisational overhaul also brought several experienced leaders back into key positions as the party prepares for a series of important state elections.

Reacting to her appointment, Irani traced her rise through the party organisation from an ordinary worker to one of its senior office-bearers.

‘Deeply humbled’

Irani said she was "deeply honoured and grateful" for the responsibility entrusted to her and described her journey from a BJP karyakarta to national general secretary as a privilege.

She thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Nitin Nabin, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the party leadership, while saying she would continue working to strengthen the organisation.

Her appointment represents a significant organisational comeback for a leader who had remained one of the BJP's most recognisable national faces despite losing Amethi to Congress candidate Kishori Lal Sharma in the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

Irani had defeated Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Amethi in 2019, one of the most high-profile results of that general election. She subsequently served in the Union Cabinet, holding portfolios including Women and Child Development and Minority Affairs during the second Modi government.

Back in organisation

Irani's latest assignment also marks a return to her organisational roots.

She joined the BJP in 2003 and rose through its ranks, becoming national secretary in 2010 and later president of the BJP Mahila Morcha. She entered the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat in 2011 before emerging as one of the party's prominent campaigners nationally.

Her first contest against Rahul Gandhi in Amethi came in 2014. Though she lost, she substantially reduced the Congress leader's victory margin. Five years later, she returned to defeat Gandhi in what became a landmark political victory for the BJP.

Her electoral defeat in 2024 subsequently kept her out of the third Narendra Modi government. Monday's appointment places her firmly back within the BJP's national decision-making and organisational machinery.

BJP gets new team

Irani's appointment is part of a substantial restructuring of the BJP's national organisation under Nabin.

The party has named 13 national vice-presidents, eight national general secretaries and 16 national secretaries. Former Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje, Ram Madhav, Baijayant Jay Panda and Tirath Singh Rawat are among the national vice-presidents, while B L Santhosh continues as national general secretary (organisation).

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has been appointed national treasurer.

The scale of the overhaul is considerable. Of the 65 office-bearers announced on Monday, 51 are new, reflecting the leadership's attempt to combine organisational experience with generational change. Six members are below 40, while 15 are aged between 40 and 49 and 21 between 50 and 59.

The new team also includes 10 women and six leaders from minority communities, as the BJP seeks broader representation within its organisational structure.

Eye on 2027

Irani's return assumes added significance because of the political calendar confronting the BJP.

The party is already preparing for the 2027 Assembly elections, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, where maintaining its organisational strength will be central to its electoral strategy. Irani's long political association with the state and her experience of campaigning in Amethi give her renewed relevance as the BJP prepares for the contest.

The BJP's new organisational structure is also expected to play an important role in upcoming elections elsewhere, with the leadership seeking to sharpen coordination between its national machinery and state units.

For Irani, however, Monday's appointment carries a more personal political significance. After the setback in Amethi in 2024 and two years outside Parliament and government, she is once again back in a frontline national position — this time not through an electoral mandate or ministerial office, but through the organisation where her political career began.