Nitin Nabi unopposedly elected new national president of BJP
What's the story
Nitin Nabin was elected as the president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with 37 nomination papers favoring the 45-year-old for the top party post. The BJP had appointed Nabin as its national working president on December 14. He succeeds JP Nadda. The BJP's constitution mandates that a candidate must be jointly proposed by at least 20 members of a state's electoral college.
Political career
Nabin's political journey and PM Modi's praise
Nabin, the son of late BJP leader Nabin Kishore Sinha, is the youngest person to hold this position. He started his political career through student politics with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and entered electoral politics in the late 2000s, winning his first assembly election in 2010. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called him a "hardworking and dedicated karyakarta with strong organizational credentials."
Nomination procedure
'Sangathan Parv'
The saffron party's nomination process concluded at 4:00pm, at the party's headquarters in Delhi, after which nomination papers were scrutinized till 5:00pm. An hour was reserved for the withdrawal of the nominations afterward. The nomination event, called Sangathan Parv, is expected to showcase a show of strength with chief ministers from BJP-ruled states and senior leaders arriving in the capital.
Election process
Electoral college and membership requirements
The electoral college includes representatives from the national council and state councils of the party. According to the BJP's constitution, a candidate is also required to have at least 15 years of membership. Media reports state that his appointment as the working president was an effort to strengthen the BJP's national leadership structure ahead of key political challenges.
Election impact
Nabin's role in recent electoral victories
Nabin has been instrumental in several poll assignments recently, including Chhattisgarh, where the BJP has seen resounding success. His experience in governance and work for people and the organization have been highlighted as key strengths for his new role. His predecessor, Nadda, had been in the role of national party president since 2020. Before Nadda, Amit Shah served as the BJP's national president.