Nitin Naveen has taken over as the youngest president of the BJP

Nitin Gadkari took over as the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the party headquarters on Tuesday (20 January), becoming the youngest president of the party.

Several senior leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, were present on the occasion. During this, Prime Minister Modi said, "When it comes to the party, Nitin Gadkari is the boss, and I am a party worker." He is a five-time MLA and emerged as the sole candidate, making him the youngest president in the party's history.

Prime Minister Modi congratulated Nitin Gadkari after presenting him with the election certificate as the BJP's national president at the party headquarters in Delhi. Outgoing President J.P. Nadda, Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, and Nitin Gadkari also congratulated the newly elected president.

Addressing party leaders and workers, Nadda congratulated the new president and said that Nitin Gadkari has taken over as the 12th national president of this large party. Reflecting on the recent electoral performance, he said, "The 2024 Lok Sabha election results were not in line with our expectations. These results were surprising not only for the party but also for the public. Disappointment and anger were generated among the voters. The voters decided that they would give full support to Modi ji in the next elections and work for the party's growth."

Nadda recalled that after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the opposition was very confident in the Haryana elections. "They were preparing to distribute sweets even before the results were announced. They were not aware that the voters had decided to correct the small mistakes that arose with greater confidence. This is what happened in Haryana. We saw a record victory under Modi ji's leadership in Maharashtra and also formed a BJP government in Delhi after 27 years under his leadership."

Deputy Commissioner K. Laxman, who was the returning officer for the election, announced that nomination papers in favor of Gadkari were found valid on 37 seats, including those from Prime Minister Modi, Union Ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Dharmendra Pradhan, Karan Rijiju, Hardeep Puri, and outgoing President J.P. Nadda. Several chief ministers and state BJP presidents from states like UP, Gujarat, Goa, Arunachal Pradesh, and Delhi also filed nominations in his favor.

This election took place after a comprehensive internal process that started from the grassroots level and reached the national level. The national president was elected when 30 out of 36 state BJP units had elected their presidents, fulfilling the condition of the party's electoral college. Nitin Gadkari was appointed as the national working president on 14 December 2025, indicating a decision by the top leadership.

Gadkari's elevation is being seen as a generational change, as the party is focusing on organizational strength ahead of crucial state elections this year and next, including Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, and Uttar Pradesh, and the 2029 general elections. Party sources noted that his appointment is in contrast to the Congress, which is still led by 84-year-old Mallikarjun Kharge.

Hailing from Bihar, Gadkari comes from a political background, with his father Nabin Kishore Prasad Sinha being a multiple-time BJP MLA. Gadkari entered politics by contesting a by-election in 2006 after his father's death and has been unbeatable since, representing Patna West and then Bankipore. He has also held ministerial positions in Bihar, including Minister of Roads (2021-22) and Minister of Urban Development, Housing, and Law and Justice (2024-25).

Previously, he held important positions at the state and national levels in the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha and is credited with strengthening the party's presence in states like Chhattisgarh and Sikkim.

After taking over as the BJP's newly elected national president, Nitin Gadkari held a crucial meeting with the Bengal BJP core committee on Monday. According to party sources, the meeting aimed to finalize the roadmap for the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections.

Focusing on state elections as the primary target, BJP leaders discussed detailed election strategies. Gadkari gave clear instructions to prepare special plans to attract women voters to the BJP.

He emphasized the need to strengthen the organization from the booth level to the district and state levels. The meeting decided to prepare a list of those appointed as booth-level agents (BLAs) on election day and counting day immediately.

Gadkari said that preparations at every level of the organization should be completed in a timely manner. The meeting was held at the BJP's central office in Delhi on Monday.

He directed party members to prepare a detailed record of every incident of violence against women during the 15-year tenure of the Trinamool Congress government, as well as highlight the achievements of the central government in empowering women in BJP-ruled states.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the successful conclusion of the Bharatiya Janata Party's national organizational elections, terming the process as a testament to the party's democratic tradition, enthusiasm, discipline, and worker-centric approach.

Prime Minister Modi said, "When it comes to the party, Nitin Gadkari is the president, and I am a party worker..." He made this statement as Nitin Gadkari, the youngest, took over as the BJP's national president at the party headquarters in the national capital.

Modi said, "The organizational election process, which includes the election of leaders from the smallest unit of the party to the national president, has been completed in a fully democratic manner, keeping in mind the spirit and every clause of the BJP constitution. This has been formally completed today."

He further said, "This great organizational election process is a symbol of the BJP's democratic faith, organizational discipline, and worker-centric approach. I congratulate all party workers across the country for making this process a success from the bottom of my heart."

Highlighting the BJP's deeply rooted culture, Modi said, "The BJP is a culture. The BJP is a family. Our relationships here go beyond mere membership. The BJP is a tradition that runs not from the post but from the process. Our presidents change, but our principles do not. The leadership changes, but the direction remains the same. The BJP's soul is national, as our connection is local. Our roots are deep in the soil. That's why the BJP makes regional aspirations the basis of national aspirations. Today, people from every corner of the country are joining the BJP, and for those who want to start their political journey, the BJP's door appears to be the best and safest route."

The party is also highlighting rising unemployment in West Bengal as a major electoral issue. The meeting was attended by Bengal BJP President Sukanta Majumdar, Union Minister of State Sahanawaz Hussain, Central leader Satish Dhond, BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya, and Union Minister Bhupender Yadav.