Nitin Nabin Appointed as New BJP National President

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced Nitin Nabin as its new national president during a ceremony at the party headquarters in New Delhi on Tuesday. The event was attended by prominent leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. At 45 years old, Nabin was elected unopposed, making him the youngest individual to hold this prestigious position. He previously took on the role of the party's national working president on December 15. The election process for the national president commenced after 30 out of 36 state presidents were elected, surpassing the required 50% threshold. The election schedule and voter list were revealed on January 16, 2026. The nomination process took place on Monday between 2 PM and 4 PM, during which Nitin Nabin received a total of 37 nominations, with several top leaders, including Modi, Shah, and Singh, as proposers. Since its establishment in 1980, the BJP has seen many influential leaders at the helm, each shaping the party's ideological direction, organizational structure, and electoral strategies in their unique ways. From the early years under Atal Bihari Vajpayee to the current leadership of Nitin Nabin, the journey of BJP presidents reflects the party's evolution from a small political entity to the world's largest political party in terms of membership.

Known for his somewhat hardline image, Lal Krishna Advani became the new president of the BJP. Under his leadership, the party adopted a Hindutva approach, which gradually became its defining path.

The BJP contested the 1991 elections on the Ram Mandir issue, winning 120 seats and becoming the second-largest party in the country. During this period, Murlidhar Joshi took over as president, leading a significant Tiranga Yatra aimed at hoisting the national flag at Lal Chowk in Srinagar on January 26, 1992.

With the BJP rapidly advancing on the Hindutva and Ram agenda, Advani returned as president in 1993. He recognized the need for a more moderate face to elevate the party to the top position, leading to the unexpected announcement of Atal Bihari Vajpayee as the prime ministerial candidate in 1995.

Under Atal Bihari Vajpayee's leadership, the BJP successfully formed a government, and Kushabhau Thakre, regarded as a patriarch of the party, was appointed president, significantly strengthening the party in Madhya Pradesh.

Bangarhu Laxman from Andhra Pradesh was appointed president in 2000 but faced controversy due to the Tehelka scandal, which not only cost him his position but also raised questions about the party's image.

Following Laxman's departure, Jenna Krishnamurthy served as president from 2001 to 2002.

In 2002, Venkaiah Naidu, who had previously led the youth wing of the Janata Party, was appointed as the national president of the BJP.

After the failure of the 'India Shining' campaign in 2004, Advani resumed leadership, but the party faced defeat in the 2009 elections. During this time, the BJP saw several leadership changes, but it was Narendra Modi's name and image that ultimately helped the party secure a majority.

The election for the BJP national president took place on January 20, with JP Nadda being appointed as the full-time president for the next three years, having previously served as the working president since June 17, 2019.

Nitin Nabin is a senior BJP leader from Bihar with a strong political background. Born in Patna, he is the son of the late Nabin Kishore Prasad Sinha, a respected BJP leader and former MLA. After his father's untimely death, Nabin entered active politics and gradually established his political identity. Representing the Bankipur assembly constituency, he is regarded as one of the most trusted leaders of the BJP in the state. Following his victory in the 2006 by-elections, he has won consecutive assembly elections in 2010, 2015, 2020, and 2025. Recently, he achieved a decisive victory in the Bihar assembly elections, defeating his closest rival by over 51,000 votes. His consistent electoral success has solidified his position within the party. Currently, Nabin serves as the Minister for Road Construction and Urban Development in the NDA government led by Nitish Kumar. Notably, he is credited with managing the BJP-JD(U) alliance and contributing to the NDA's electoral success. In addition to his role in Bihar, Nabin has also been in charge of the BJP in Chhattisgarh, reflecting his growing influence within the party's national framework.