Sri Vijaya Puram, July 1: Anil Kumar Tiwari has been appointed as the new State President of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, capping a nearly 10-month-long leadership selection process. His appointment was announced during the BJP’s Sanghathan Parv held in Sri Vijaya Puram on Monday, in the presence of senior party leaders including Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan, former Governor of Telangana; National Convener Raghunath Kulkarni; and Member of Parliament Bishnu Pada Ray.
“This is a huge responsibility, and my only goal is to serve the people of these islands to the best of my ability,” Tiwari said in his first remarks after taking charge. He also thanked his long-time mentor, MP Bishnu Pada Ray, for his guidance and support in his political journey.
Tiwari, a veteran BJP worker and businessman, was the sole nominee in a process that witnessed multiple contenders step aside in favor of consensus. Party sources described the selection as smooth and unanimous, underscoring growing internal discipline.
In a significant parallel development, the BJP’s National Council representation from the Union Territory has been expanded from one to three. Bishnu Pada Ray, Ajay Bairagi, and Vishal Jolly were inducted as council members, signaling a broader central role for the island unit in party policymaking.
MP Bishnu Pada Ray congratulated Tiwari and recalled his early contributions to the party. “He was among the first supporters of the BJP in the islands, back when we had only a handful of members,” he said.
National Convener Kulkarni commended the disciplined conduct of the leadership transition. “The process was completely transparent and smooth, a reflection of the maturity the Andaman BJP has gained over the years,” he said.
The Sanghathan Parv drew hundreds of party workers and supporters and saw the announcement of a record-high 75,000 registered members in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands this year, the highest membership figure the unit has ever achieved.
