BJP appoints Benjamin Yepthomi as president of Nagaland unit

DIMAPUR — The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday appointed Benjamin Yepthomi as president of Nagaland state BJP, replacing the two-time president of the party’s state unit Temjen Imna Along, who is also the incumbent minister of Tourism and Higher Education of Nagaland.

The BJP National President Jagat Prakash Nadda has appointed Yepthomi as the chief of the party in Nagaland, read the appointment letter issued by the BJP national general secretary and headquarters in-charge Arun Singh.

“The organisational appointment comes into immediate effect,” it added.

The 43-year-old BJP leader told Eastern Mirror after being given the charge of the party in the state that he would be leaving for New Delhi on Tuesday and would be there for a few days.

He added that he would not be able to make any comment at the moment but would speak (to the media) after he returns to the state.

Prior to the change of guard, Yepthomi was holding the post of BJP Nagaland Vice president. He also held the post of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) Nagaland president for two consecutive terms.

Benjamin Yepthomi played an active role in the saffron party’s Election Management during the 2018 and 2023 state assembly elections and also campaigned for the BJP in elections of various states, including Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, West Bengal, Karnataka, and Maharashtra.

However, he took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his express his gratitude, saying that “it is an honour and a privilege to continue serving the world’s largest political party and the people”.

He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, JP Nadda, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP National General Secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh for giving me the responsibility to serve as the State President of BJP Nagaland.

He also thanked Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio for his wishes and several others BJP leaders including Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, North East Coordinator Sambit Swaraj, Co Cordinator Rituraj Sinha, Nagaland Incharge Nalin S Kohli, Nagaland Dy CM Yanthungo Patton and General Secretary (org) Nagaland Abhay Giri.

He went on to express his gratitude to the outgoing president Imna Along, ministers, advisors, state office bearers and Karyakatas for their constant guidance and support.

Meanwhile, many have taken to X to congratulate the new state BJP chief.

CM Rio congratulated Yepthomi on being appointed as the president and wished him a “successful tenure”. He also extended good wishes the outgoing president Imna Along for further success.

While congratulating the new president, Dy CM Patton expressed his confidence that the saffron party would grow under his leadership Yepthomi, using his vast knowledge of party affairs, organizational skills and experience. He also thanked the central party leadership put their trust on the young and dynamic leader and acknowledged the contributions of Imna Along for steering the state BJP unit to a better position.

Imna Along, who replaced Visasolie Lhoungu as the president of state BJP unit in 2028 before being re-elected in 2020, which ended earlier this year, also congratulated his successor. “Your vision and commitment will definitely take BJP Nagaland to greater heights. My best wishes for a successful tenure ahead,” he wrote.

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