End of Shah era? Nadda is the new BJP Boss

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with newly elected BJP National President JP Nadda (C), after the latter was elected as the new chief of the BJP unit unopposed, at BJP HQ in New Delhi, Monday, January. 20, 2020. Veteran party leader LK Advani (L) and Union Home Minister Amit Shah (R) are also seen. (PTI Photo)

New Delhi, January 20 (IANS) The BJP has got a brand new President in the form of J.P. Nadda. As reported earlier, by 2.30 PM, the announcement came, bringing an end to Amit Shah era. Party Working President Jagat Prakash Nadda won unopposed, sparking celebrations outside the BJP headquarters here on Monday. The choice of the announcement date on 'ekadashi', was done keeping the auspiciousness in mind.

Amit Shah himself was among the people who proposed Nadda's name along with Nitin Gadkari and Rajnath Singh.

Soon after his annointment, BJP election returning officer Radha Mohan Singh told the media, "I announce J.P. Nadda as the new BJP President."

Soon after it, Shah was seen hugging Nadda - embodiment of the proximity the two share.

By 4 p.m., the prime minister Narendra Modi himself is expected in the BJP headquarters to congratulate Nadda.

The nomination process for the post of the BJP President began at 10 a.m. and went on till 12.30 p.m. For the next hour, the filed nomination paper, which was just one, was examined and another one hour till 2.30 p.m. was provided to withdraw nominations, if any candidate wishes to. By 2.30 p.m. Nadda was declared the man who stepped into the shoes of Amit Shah.

Though, many believe, Shah will have the last say on all macro decisions like pre poll alliances or top organisational appointments, but will be free from daily monitoring of the organisation. Shah himself wanted this, due to which Nadda was brought in as the working President as key legislations like abrogation of Article 370, Triple Talaq and finally Citizenship Amendment Act meant Shah, who is the home minister as well, had to prioritize his works.

IANS earlier reported that the "world's largest party" will elect its new President on January 20, as it is an 'ekadashi', which is an auspicious day according to the Hindu faith. In Sanskrit, 'ekadashi' means 11, as in the eleventh day of two fortnights of the waxing and waning moon. The date was chosen, keeping that in mind, say sources.

The party constitution mandates completion of election of at least 50 per cent of state Presidents for the election of national President to happen. In the last few days, the BJP has completed the election of a slew of state Presidents like in West Bengal, Nagaland among others.

The process of election of the national BJP President is quite elaborate and has been described in detail in the party constitution, which says that the national president shall be elected by an electoral college, comprising members of the national council and the state councils.

"Any 20 members of the electoral college of a state can jointly propose the name of a person, who has been an active member for four terms and has 15 years of membership, for the post of national president. Such joint proposal should come from not less than five states where elections have been completed for the national council. The consent of the candidate is necessary," it says.

Twitter abuzz as Nadda becomes new BJP President

Twitterati on Monday congratulated J.P. Nadda after he was elected unopposed as the new Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National President.

Taking to Twitter, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said: "Heartiest congratulations to @JPNadda Ji on being elected the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party. I firmly believe that under Prime Minister @narendramodi Ji''s guidance and your leadership, the BJP will continue to be stronger and more comprehensive."

Amit Shah himself was among the people who proposed Nadda''s name along with Nitin Gadkari and Rajnath Singh.

Union Cabinet Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal @HarsimratBadal_ tweeted: "Congratulations Shri @JPNadda Ji on being elected as BJP National President. Wishing you all the very best for the assignment @BJP4India."

Former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis greeted, "Heartiest congratulations to Hon''ble @JPNadda ji on being elected unopposed as the @BJP4India National President ! #JPNadda."

Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal @officeofssbadal wrote: "Heartiest congratulations to @JPNadda ji on being elected as the National President of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Wishing him all success in his new task. @BJP4India"

Assam minister and BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma congratulated Nadda and wrote: "Heartiest congratulations to Sri @JPNadda on being elected @BJP4India President. Your enormous political and administrative experiences shall enrich party''s expanding footprints and will further strengthen us. Looking forward to work under your valuable guidance."

Another BJP leader Gaurav Bhatia wrote, "Heartiest Congratulations & Best wishes to Shri @JPNadda ji on being elected as the National President of the @BJP4India. We are sure the party will scale new heights under his able leadership. #JPNadda."

"Jagat Prakash Nadda ji takes over as National President of BJP after being elected unopposed. Heartiest Congratulations to New National President Of Bharatiya Janata Party Shri @JPNadda ji. Thanks to outgoing Pres. @AmitShah ji 4 historical contribution to party.#JPNadda" wrote another BJP leader.

Nadda, a low-profile leader who rose from the ranks (Profile)

Jagat Prakash Nadda, 59, who has his roots in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its affiliates, was appointed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national President on Monday, replacing his 'mentor' and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Former environment, health and law minister from Himachal Pradesh, which has just four of the Lok Sabha's 543 seats, Nadda has tried to carve out his own space in national politics with his low profile and astute organisational skills, believe his party leaders.

He rose through the ranks from the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the RSS, from where he has managed to build inroads from university to the state politics.

Nadda has been active on the national political scene since 2010 when he was picked by then BJP chief Nitin Gadkari to join his new team. He was made the party's national general secretary.

Born on December 2, 1960, Nadda did his graduation from Patna and holds a post-graduate degree in political science and Bachelor of Legislative Law (LL.B) from Himachal Pradesh University in Shimla.

Starting his political career as a student leader of the ABVP in 1978, Nadda had also worked both with Gadkari and Shah even in the party's youth wing -- the Bharatiya Yuva Morcha -- from 1991 to 1994.

His wife Mallika Nadda, who teaches history at the Himachal Pradesh University and is currently posted in university's campus in Delhi, was an ABVP activist too, and its national general secretary from 1988 to 1999.

In the previous BJP government (2007-12) in the state, Nadda was forced to resign as Forest Minister in 2010 owing to differences between him and then chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal.

He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2012.

Nadda won his first Assembly election from Bilaspur (Sadar) in Himachal in 1993. In 1998, he again won from that seat and became the state Health Minister.

He lost the Assembly elections in 2003, but again won in 2007 and was appointed the Forest Minister in the Himachal Pradesh.

Nadda, as a forest minister, was the brain behind opening forest police stations to check forest crimes, launching community-driven plantation, setting up forest ponds and the massive plantation of deodars to boost the depleting green cover of the 'Queen of Hills', as Shimla was fondly called by the British.

A close confidant of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Nadda was among those who were mentioned as likely aspirants to the BJP top post after Rajnath Singh was inducted into the Central government as the Home Minister in 2014.

Later, Nadda was inducted into the union cabinet in its first expansion in 2014 as the Health Minister.

Hailing Nadda's appointment, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur told IANS it is a proud moment that a leader belonging to a small state in the national politics is today the leader of the country's biggest national party.

His father N.L. Nadda, who was a Vice-Chancellor of the Ranchi University, resides in Bilaspur town.