BJP set to announce new party president on 20 January
The Bharatiya Janata Party will announce the name of its new national president for the party on 20 January, with nominations for the post to be filed a day earlier on 19 January, the party said, PTI news agency reported.
The much-speculated post is expected to go to BJP national working president Nitin Nabin. The five-time MLA from Bihar was appointed to the party's national working president role on 14 December last year, a move seen as signalling a generational shift within the ruling party.
The BJP national working president is likely to file his nomination for the party chief's post next week. He is also likely to be elected unopposed, as there is little possibility of any other party leader entering the race, according to party sources.
Nadda, too, was first appointed as the BJP's national working president in June 2019 before going on to become the party's national president, succeeding Amit Shah after being elected unopposed on 20 January 2020.
The 45-year-old, Nabin, is the son of late BJP veteran and former MLA Nabin Kishore Prasad Sinha. Within the party, he is regarded as a leader who is ideologically rooted and closely associated with the organisation. He also has a background in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
He represents the Bankipur assembly constituency in Bihar and has served twice as a minister in the Bihar government.
BJP chief election officer K Lakshman will announce the name of the national president, Nitin Nabin, ANI news agency reported. According to the report, three sets of nominations will be filed for the post of national president.
One set of nomination papers will carry the signatures of more than 20 elected state BJP presidents. Another set will be signed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, and outgoing BJP president JP Nadda.