Rajnath Singh, one of the key leaders of the BJP and currently the Union Defence Minister, has had a long political career spanning several decades. Rajnath Singh's political journey began in the early 1970s when he became associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). His strong ideological roots within the RSS laid the foundation for his subsequent political career. Singh started his political career in 1975, as the district president of Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh for the Bhartiya Jan Sangh, the predecessor of the BJP. He was the district coordinator for the JP movement and was imprisoned for 18 months during the Emergency. A long time associate of the Rashrtiya Swyamsevak Sangh, Rajnath Singh became the BJP’s youth wing president in 1984, Uttar Pradesh. He became the state education minister in 1991. In 1994, he was elected to be a Rajya Sabha MP which was soon followed by him becoming the UP state president for the BJP. In 2005, after party veteran LK Advani resigned following NDA’s loss in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, Singh was elected as BJP’s National President -- a position he held again in 2013. Throughout his tenure, Rajnath Singh has held various key positions within the BJP. He was elected to Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council in 1988 and became the Education Minister of Uttar Pradesh in 1991. In March 1997 he became State President of the Uttar Pradesh unit of BJP and played a key role in saving the BJP-led Government twice during the political crisis. In November 1999 he became Union Minister of Surface Transport in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. In 2003, Rajnath Singh became Minister of Agriculture in Vajpayee’s cabinet. Rajnath served as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh from 2000 to 2002. Later, Singh assumed crucial responsibilities within the BJP. He became the President of the party in 2005 and played a vital role in strengthening the organization's structure, expanding its reach, and mobilizing grassroots support. In 2014, when the BJP secured a resounding victory in the general elections, Rajnath Singh was appointed as the Union Minister for Home Affairs in the Narendra Modi-led government. While in Modi's second term as Prime Minister, Rajnath was given charge of the Defence Ministry, a portfolio he retained in PM Modi's third term also after winning the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Lucknow constituency once again. Rajnath Singh is widely regarded as a skilled administrator and known for his ability to connect with people, resolve conflicts, and deliver results. His firm yet composed demeanour has earned him respect across party lines and among his colleagues.