Premium

BJP to name new national president on January 20

BJP MP and national returning officer K Laxman opened the nomination process on Friday; nomination for the election of the party chief can be filed between 2 pm and 4 pm on January 19, and can be withdrawn between 5 pm and 6 pm the same day.

3 min readNew DelhiJan 17, 2026 04:44 AM IST

BJP to name new national president, BJP new national president, BJP national president, JP Nadda, Jagat Prakash Nadda, Nitin Nabin, Indian express news, current affairs

Twenty20, which hit headlines in 2015 by winning the panchayat of its hometown Kizhakkambalam, has managed to retain the local body for the third time in the elections in 2025.

The BJP on Friday announced the schedule for the election of its national president — the nominations for the post will be filed on January 19 and the name of the new chief will be announced the next day.

Insiders said the process will take into account the six-year tenure of the current national president and Union minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, with the announcement of his successor scheduled for January 20, the date Nadda officially took over the position in 2020.

BJP MP and national returning officer K Laxman opened the nomination process on Friday; nomination for the election of the party chief can be filed between 2 pm and 4 pm on January 19, and can be withdrawn between 5 pm and 6 pm the same day.

This will be followed by a review of the nominations by potential candidates. The result will be announced after internal polling, “if necessary”, the notification issued by the BJP said. According to party insiders, 45-year-old Nitin Nabin, the BJP’s national working president and a former Bihar minister, is expected to be the sole candidate for the national president post. Till date, the BJP national president has always been elected unopposed. Once elected, Nabin will be the youngest person to hold the position.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Nadda are, according to insiders, likely to “take the lead” in proposing and signing off on Nabin’s name. Other key leaders from the BJP across states are also expected to be the proposers.

BJP sources also indicated that the national council could be held immediately after the election of the party president on January 20. The national council is the highest policy-making body of the BJP. All members of the national council, who will be present in the Capital for the election, have been asked to stay in Delhi on January 21 too.

The national council will ratify the election of the new BJP president and also pass resolutions on key issues, party sources indicated.

Story continues below this ad

According to party insiders, members of the national council would reach the Capital over the weekend to take part in the election. The members include key ministers, MPs, BJP Chief Ministers, current and former state presidents, among others.

The result of the internal poll, sources said, is likely to be announced on the afternoon of January 20. Insiders said arrangements are underway for a “grand” oath-taking ceremony in the vicinity of the BJP’s national headquarters.

Jatin Anand

Jatin Anand is an Assistant Editor with the national political bureau of The Indian Express. With over 16 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is a seasoned expert in national governance, electoral politics, and bureaucratic affairs. Having covered high-stakes beats including the Election Commission of India (ECI), intelligence, and urban development, Jatin provides authoritative analysis of the forces shaping Indian democracy. He is an alumnus of Zakir Husain Delhi College (DU) and the prestigious Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai, where he specialized in Print Journalism. Expertise High-Stakes Beat Coverage: Throughout his decade-and-a-half career, Jatin has covered some of the most sensitive and influential beats in the country, including: The Election Commission of India (ECI): Monitoring electoral policy, reforms, and the conduct of national and state polls. National Security & Intelligence: Reporting on the internal mechanisms and developments within India's security apparatus. Urban Development: Analyzing the policies and bureaucratic processes driving the transformation of India’s cities. National Political Bureau: In his current role, he tracks the intersection of policy and politics, offering deep-dive reporting on the Union government and national political movements. Academic Credentials: Zakir Husain Delhi College (DU): Alumnus of one of Delhi's premier institutions. Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai: Specialized in Print Journalism at India's most prestigious journalism school. ... Read More

Vikas Pathak

Vikas Pathak is deputy associate editor with The Indian Express and writes on national politics. He has over 17 years of experience, and has worked earlier with The Hindustan Times and The Hindu, among other publications. He has covered the national BJP, some key central ministries and Parliament for years, and has covered the 2009 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls and many state assembly polls. He has interviewed many Union ministers and Chief Ministers. Vikas has taught as a full-time faculty member at Asian College of Journalism, Chennai; Symbiosis International University, Pune; Jio Institute, Navi Mumbai; and as a guest professor at Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi. Vikas has authored a book, Contesting Nationalisms: Hinduism, Secularism and Untouchability in Colonial Punjab (Primus, 2018), which has been widely reviewed by top academic journals and leading newspapers. He did his PhD, M Phil and MA from JNU, New Delhi, was Student of the Year (2005-06) at ACJ and gold medalist from University Rajasthan College in Jaipur in graduation. He has been invited to top academic institutions like JNU, St Stephen’s College, Delhi, and IIT Delhi as a guest speaker/panellist. ... Read More

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Loading Taboola...