Former health minister Jagat Prakash Nadda was elected unopposed as the 11th BJP president on Monday with support of 21 states units and the parliamentary party. He replaced home minister Amit Shah, who held the position for five and-a-half years.
After his inauguration, Nadda, 59, said the BJP would target coming to office in states where the party has not yet registered electoral success. Nadda, who was elected unanimously, said a simple worker like him, hailing from a village, could become party president only in BJP. “I will work day and night along with all party workers to take BJP to newer heights,” he said in his address at the BJP headquarters.
Recalling his long association with the new party chief, PM Narendra Modi reminisced how he used to ride pillion on Nadda’s scooter when they worked in the party organisation in Himachal Pradesh. “I have worked with Naddaji on his scooter. I had an opportunity to serve the party in Himachal Pradesh for long. When I used to see the party organisation, Naddaji worked in the Yuva Morcha (BJYM). He delivered on whatever was assigned to him. I have seen in Naddaji a desire to excel in whatever responsibility was given to him,” Modi said.
The PM also recalled Nadda joking that people of both Himachal Pradesh and Bihar should be equally proud as the BJP chief was born in the eastern state. “Naddaji completed his studies in Bihar and emerged from Bihar student politics,” Modi said.
Nadda applauded his predecessor Amit Shah for his work as party chief and said under his leadership, BJP become the world's largest party. “Today, we are the world's largest party that is in office in India. We have the highest number of MPs and MLAs in the country. We are not going to stop at this. There are some states left and we have set our aim there. We will make sure we reach them as well,” he said.
Though he didn't mention the states, his remarks assume significance at a time BJP is fighting to wrest Delhi from AAP and working overtime to dethrone Mamata Banerjee-led TMC in West Bengal. Nadda thanked the party brass for showering love on him and said he had worked with all members of the party's parliamentary board in different capacities and also with veterans such as L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi.
