Rohtak, May 29 -- The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday appointed radiologist Dr Archana Gupta, 58, as the new president of its Haryana unit. She becomes only the second woman to head the party in the state following Kamla Verma. Dr Gupta replaces former MLA Mohan Lal Badoli, who had been serving as the state party chief since July 9, 2024. BJP national president Nitin Nabin issued the appointment letter. Born in Panipat's Atta village, Dr Gupta currently resides in Sector 24, Panipat, and runs a diagnostic centre in Sector 11 of the city. She completed her MD in radiology from Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS), Rohtak, in 1994. Her grandfather, Dr Surajbhan, was a freedom fighter, and she is married to Dr Anil Gupta, who belongs to Jind. Before Dr Gupta's appointment, Kamla Verma from Yamunanagar was the only woman to have served as the Haryana BJP state president, holding the post from 1980-83. Former Union minister, the late Sushma Swaraj, served as the Haryana state president of the Janata Party in 1979. Prior to taking over the top state role, Dr Gupta was serving as the Haryana BJP state general secretary. Reacting to her appointment, she said she would work to strengthen the party by taking everyone along and aligning with the BJP's policies and ideology. "Heartfelt gratitude to the Bharatiya Janata Party for giving a new dimension to the women's power of India. This honour is not just mine, but a tribute to every woman who is continuously working for nation-building, organisational strength, and the uplift of society," she said in a statement. Dr Gupta has a long history of association with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). In 2016, she was appointed district president of the BJP Mahila Morcha, and in August 2020, she became Panipat's first woman BJP district president. In 2024, she was elevated to Haryana BJP state general secretary and was involved in the party's core organisational activities. Political observers view her appointment as a strategic move by the saffron party to bolster its women's outreach, particularly ahead of elections in neighbouring Punjab. Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini congratulated her on X, stating: "Heartiest congratulations and best wishes to Dr Archana Gupta on being appointed as the president of the Haryana unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is our sincere hope that under your leadership, the Haryana BJP organisation will continue to scale new heights of success with greater strength and public trust."...