New Delhi, Jan 20: Nitin Nabin on Tuesday took over as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s 12th national president, succeeding J P Nadda and beginning a new chapter for the party as it seeks to tighten its grip on the country’s politics and further expand its influence in uncharted territories with a generational shift in the organisation.
Addressing a gathering at the BJP headquarters here, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said when it comes to party matters, he is a worker and “honourable Nitin Nabin ji” is his boss. After a formal announcement of Nabin’s name as the new BJP chief, PM Modi and other senior leaders took him to his new office at the party headquarters, where he officially assumed the charge of the party’s national president.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, outgoing BJP president Nadda, and party general secretary B L Santhosh were present with PM Modi when Nabin took over the charge of his new responsibilities.
Along with them, Nabin’s wife, children, and other close family members were also present on the occasion.
Addressing the gathering earlier, PM Modi described 45-year-old Nabin as a “millennial” with youthful energy and vast experience in the organisation, and asserted that his qualities would prove to be of immense help for the party.
In his 40-minute speech, the PM repeatedly referred to Nabin as ‘mananiya’ (honourable) and listed out the achievements of his government over the last 11 years, which he described as giving an account of his work to the party president. “I, too, as a party worker, was giving an account of my work to the new president. I have given an account of my work. He will now write my CR (confidential report). I am awaiting his guidance,” PM Modi said, referring to the work of the BJP-led NDA government.
“When it comes to party matters, mananiya Nitin Nabin ji… I am a worker, and you are my boss,” the PM said. “Every word of his will give us a new direction. His guidance will be a priceless asset that will chart our future course of action.”
PM Modi also sought to draw Nabin’s attention to his responsibilities as the BJP president and suggested that he must maintain proper coordination with the NDA partners.
“Nitinji is now everybody’s president (in the party). His responsibilities are not limited to taking care of the BJP only. He has to take care of the responsibility of maintaining coordination with all friends in the NDA,” the PM said.
In his speech, Nabin exhorted people, especially youth, to enter politics to fulfil PM Modi’s resolve of making India developed and assured party workers of due recognition of their work, saying the BJP’s “watchtower” was strong enough to take note of everyone’s efforts.
He also asked the party leaders and workers to make an all-out effort to ensure the BJP’s success in the upcoming assembly polls in five states, including West Bengal, to protect the “Sanatan traditions and faith” and the country from demographic changes.
“On August 15, 2025, PM Modi called upon the country’s youth to enter public life. I want to ask the country’s youth that keeping distance from politics is not the solution, but making active contributions is,” he said.
Nabin said there was a need for the youth to come forward and participate in “positive politics” to fulfil PM Modi’s resolve of making India a developed country.
“At the same time, I would also like to point out to the youth that there is no shortcut in politics. Politics is not a 100-metre race but a marathon where one’s stamina and not speed is tested. Come forward and let’s work on this political pitch, keeping our roots strong,” he said.
Describing Nabin as a “young, energetic, and talented karyakarta” of the BJP, Nadda said that he comes with a vast organisational and administrative experience while working for the party in various capacities and serving as a minister in the NDA government in Bihar.
“At such a young age, he is a five-term MLA. He also served as a minister in the Bihar government. During his stint at the Yuva Morcha, he travelled across the country and understood it. He was the party’s in-charge for Sikkim. He made a big contribution in bringing the BJP to power in Chhattisgarh,” Nadda said. Nabin will take the party forward at a “rapid pace” under PM Modi’s leadership, the outgoing BJP chief said.
Nadda thanked party leaders and workers for their support during his term as the party president. He also thanked PM Modi for taking time out from his busy schedule and guiding him during his tenure as the BJP chief.
“Today is a very historic occasion, when our young, energetic, and talented Nitin Nabin is taking charge as the national president of the world’s largest political party, the BJP. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to him on my behalf and on behalf of crores of workers,” he said.
K Laxman, returning officer for the BJP organisational polls, declared the results of the organisational elections and handed over the certificate of election to 45-year-old Nabin, the youngest ever to occupy the top party post.
Nabin became the 12th president of the BJP, which was founded in 1980, the same year he was born.
The low-profile and unassuming Nabin had resigned as the minister for law and justice, urban development, and housing in the Bihar government after he was appointed working president of the BJP on December 14.
“This election shows that in the BJP, leadership rises from hard work and dedication, not from dynastic privilege,” Laxman said, announcing the outcome of the elections.
