A look at BJPs national presidents over the

By FnF Correspondent | PUBLISHED: 20, Jan 2026, 12:19 pm IST | UPDATED: 20, Jan 2026, 12:19 pm IST

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) officially announced Nitin Nabin as its new national president at the party headquarters in New Delhi on Tuesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the event, alongside Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other senior leaders. 45-year-old Nabin was elected unopposed as the party's 12th national president, making him the youngest to hold the post. Earlier on December 15, he had taken charge as the national working president of the BJP.

The BJP's national president election process was initiated after the election of 30 State presidents out of 36, exceeding the required 50 per cent threshold. The election schedule, along with the electoral roll, was announced on January 16, 2026. The nomination process took place on Monday between 2 pm and 4 pm, with a total of 37 sets of nomination papers received in favour of Nitin Nabin. Top leaders, including PM Modi, Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh, were among the proposers.

The BJP has seen several influential leaders take charge of the organisation since its formation in 1980. Each president has shaped the party's ideological direction, organisational structure and electoral strategy in distinctive ways. From the early years under Atal Bihari Vajpayee to the current leadership under Nitin Nabin, the journey of BJP presidents reflects the party's evolution from a small political entity to the largest political party in the world in terms of membership. Here is a detailed look at the leaders who have helmed the BJP over the last four decades.

Who is Nitin Nabin?

Nitin Nabin is a senior BJP leader from Bihar with strong political roots. Born in Patna, he is the son of late Nabin Kishore Prasad Sinha - a respected BJP leader and former MLA. He stepped into active politics following his father's untimely demise and steadily built his own political identity. Representing the Bankipur Assembly constituency in Patna, Nitin Nabin is regarded as one of the BJP's most reliable leaders in the state. He has won four consecutive Assembly elections in 2010, 2015, 2020 and 2025, following his by-election victory in 2006.

In the recently held Bihar Assembly polls, Nabin secured a decisive victory from Bankipur, defeating his closest rival by a margin exceeding 51,000 votes. His repeated electoral success has further strengthened his standing within the party. Currently, Nabin holds the Road Construction and Urban Development portfolios in the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in Bihar. It is to be noted here that Nabin is widely credited with playing an important role in managing the BJP's alliance with JD(U) and contributing to the NDA’s electoral victories. Beyond Bihar, Nabin has also served as the BJP's in-charge for Chhattisgarh which reflects his expanding influence within the party's national framework.