Seasoned Leader ML Khattar Prioritizes Party Service Over Top Posts

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In a move demonstrating his commitment to organizational principles, Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, 71, has signaled his preference for party service over potentially high-profile roles. When asked by NDTV on Thursday, July 24, 2025, whether he would rather serve as Vice President or as the chief of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Khattar offered a diplomatic response: “I don’t pick. Whatever responsibilities are given, I work accordingly.”

Khattar’s remarks come at a time of significant political maneuvering within the BJP, as both the Vice President and the BJP President positions are set to see new incumbents this year. The Vice President role became unexpectedly vacant following the resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar. Meanwhile, current BJP President Jagat Prakash Nadda is slated to be replaced after his induction into the federal government as Union Health Minister last June.

Drawing on his extensive experience, the former Haryana Chief Minister shared an anecdote from his early days as a pracharak, a full-time worker, for the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological mentor of the BJP. He recounted being told of a transfer without prior consultation, highlighting his long-standing approach of accepting assignments without question. “What was there for me to think? I didn’t ask ‘why Rohtak’,” Khattar stated, emphasizing his belief that “no job is big or small.”

This steadfast adherence to party discipline and an organizational mindset positions Khattar as a seasoned leader content with contributing in any capacity. Having served as Chief Minister of Haryana from 2014 to 2024 and now as the Union Minister for Power and Housing and Urban Affairs since June 2024, Khattar’s career reflects a trajectory of diverse responsibilities within the party framework. His willingness to take on any task underscores a deep-rooted commitment to the party’s objectives and internal structure, an attribute valued within the BJP’s organizational ethos. The coming months will reveal the party’s choices for these crucial roles, but Khattar’s stance remains clear: service to the organization is param.