New Delhi | Jan 16, 2026

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to announce the name of its new national president on January 20, with nominations for the post to be filed a day earlier, on January 19, the party confirmed on Friday. Party sources indicated that national working president Nitin Nabin is expected to assume the top post, following in the footsteps of former BJP president JP Nadda.

Nitin Nabin, a five-time MLA from Bihar and a former state minister, was appointed as the party’s national working president on December 14, 2025, a move widely seen as signalling a generational leadership transition within the ruling party. Known for his deep organisational roots and ideological alignment with the party, Nabin is also closely associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

The 45-year-old leader represents the Bankipur Assembly constituency in Bihar and comes from a political lineage; he is the son of late BJP veteran Nabin Kishore Prasad Sinha. Within party circles, he is regarded as a disciplined leader with a strong record of governance and organisational work.

Election Process and Expected Outcome

The BJP’s national working president is expected to file his nomination for the president’s post next week. Party insiders suggest that Nabin is likely to be elected unopposed, as there appears to be little prospect of any other candidate entering the race. The party’s election process for the post is governed by its constitution and involves three sets of nomination endorsements:

1. Signatures of at least 20 elected state BJP presidents, jointly proposing the candidate.
2. Endorsements from senior leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and the outgoing national president JP Nadda.
3. Signatures from members of the BJP National Council.

The party has designated K. Lakshman, BJP chief election officer, to officially announce the new national president once the nominations are verified. If no other candidate contests, the announcement could be made immediately after scrutiny, avoiding a formal ballot.

Nadda’s Precedent

JP Nadda’s rise to the BJP presidency followed a similar trajectory. Nadda was first appointed working president in June 2019 and later elected unopposed as national president on January 20, 2020, succeeding Amit Shah. Nabin’s impending elevation is seen as a continuation of the party’s leadership succession practice, blending organisational experience with generational renewal.

Political Implications

The announcement comes at a critical time for the BJP, which is preparing for state elections in several regions, including West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry, as well as upcoming polls in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, and Manipur. Party observers note that Nabin’s leadership will play a key role in strategising for these elections, particularly in consolidating the party’s cadre base and organisational machinery.

With his legislative and ministerial experience, along with close ties to the BJP hierarchy, Nabin is expected to provide a mix of administrative oversight and grassroots mobilisation, which will be critical as the party navigates diverse regional challenges and the next national political cycle.