From Party Worker to State President: Only BJP Makes It Possible, Says Ravindra Chavan

Mumbai: Monday marked the foundation day of the Bharatiya Janata Party. The party was established on April 6, 1980. Having completed 46 years, it has now stepped into its 47th year. On this occasion, Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan expressed his views through a written note. He said that rising from an ordinary party worker to the position of state president is something only an organization like the BJP can make possible.

विचारधारेच्या घट्ट मुळांनी मातीत रुजलेल्या आणि कार्यकर्त्यांच्या संघर्षातून उभा राहिलेल्या भारतीय जनता पार्टीच्या वटवृक्षाला आज ४६ वर्षे पूर्ण होत आहेत. त्यानिमित्त महाराष्ट्र भाजपाच्या गौरवशाली वाटचालीचा घेतलेला हा विशेष मागोवा!#47YearsOfNationFirst… pic.twitter.com/mMhXKKKrpw

— Ravindra Chavan (@RaviDadaChavan) April 6, 2026

In his article, he wrote that the BJP, deeply rooted in ideology and built through the struggles of its workers, has grown into a vast banyan tree as it enters its 47th year. The seed sown on April 6, 1980, has now spread across the country through the efforts of more than 250 million workers.

Reflecting on his journey as a BJP worker, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha vice president, corporator, MLA, cabinet minister, and now state president, Chavan said that when he looks back at the party’s history, he feels that just as ideology has shaped each worker, countless dedicated workers have, in turn, built the party through their hard work and sacrifice.

At a time when the minority-focused socialist ideology of the Nehru-Gandhi era and the global influence of communist movements were dominant, leaders like Syama Prasad Mukherjee, Deendayal Upadhyaya, and Atal Bihari Vajpayee showed the courage to swim against the tide by centering the majority yet marginalized sections of society through the Jana Sangh. Their vision continues to guide the party even today.

Many senior leaders have contributed to the BJP’s journey. In Maharashtra, Uttamrao Patil laid the foundation of the organization as the first state president in 1980. Later, Gopinath Munde took the party to the grassroots, bringing Bahujan and OBC communities into the mainstream and inspiring them to fight injustice. He played a crucial role in removing the Congress government in 1995. Prof. N. S. Farande strengthened the party ideologically, while Suryabhan Vahadne Patil reinforced the organization through disciplined leadership. Bhausaheb Fundkar took the party to farmers and agricultural communities through his struggles. Nitin Gadkari helped stabilize the organization after the demise of Pramod Mahajan.

Sudhir Mungantiwar opened a new chapter in public outreach. In 2013, under the leadership of Devendra Fadnavis, the party made a major leap, setting a unique record as he moved directly from state president to Chief Minister. After him, Raosaheb Danve, Chandrakant Patil, and Chandrashekhar Bawankule ensured better coordination between the organization and the government, taking the party to the last mile.

Chavan also said that the BJP has given a strong reply to those who practice caste-based politics. A party once criticized as being dominated by certain communities has, over 46 years, appointed 11 state presidents from the Bahujan community in Maharashtra.

He added that as a worker now serving as state president, he feels proud that such a journey is possible only in the BJP. The success in local body elections, he said, is not just about numbers but reflects public trust.

According to him, the BJP is not limited to banners and rallies; its real strength lies in ideologically committed workers. The idea that “Indianness itself is nationalism” has been taken to the grassroots. He acknowledged that the party is often labeled ultra-nationalist, but said that if having deep pride in the country is considered a fault, they are ready to accept it.

“Nation First” remains the core of the party’s ideology. The BJP is also becoming increasingly tech-friendly, enabling real-time communication with workers at the booth level.

He emphasized the importance of taking government schemes led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Centre and Devendra Fadnavis in the state to the people.

There is also a strong push to make India a $5 trillion economy and ensure Maharashtra contributes $1 trillion to it. Delivering these schemes to the last person and raising village-level issues with the government is the duty of every party worker—this, he said, is the true meaning of “Antyodaya.”

Chavan concluded by saying that when every BJP worker works with this spirit, the vision of a “Developed India” will be realized—and that vision cannot be achieved without a developed Maharashtra.