JP Nadda is new BJP working president, Amit Shah to remain boss for now

Putting all speculation to rest, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parliamentary board on Monday, June 17, appointed former Union minister JP Nadda as the party's working president. However, Amit Shah remains the party's national chief.

This development was announced by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who said the decision was taken after Shah wanted to step aside as it would not be possible for him to do justice to both the roles. Taking to Twitter, Rajnath Singh said, "Since PM appointed him Home Minister, Amit Shah Ji himself said the responsibility of party president should be given to someone else."

Another tweet from him read:

The newly appointed working president of the BJP took to Twitter to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party chief Amit Shah for reposing faith in him. Nadda said that he will work hard to strengthen the party as its worker.

Nadda, in a series of tweets, said: "PM Narendra Modi's guidance has always been inspirational for me and under the prime minister's leadership the party has got huge support from people of the nation. I will try to strengthen the party as its worker...serving the party is like worship for me."

JP Nadda also thanked Amit Shah. "Under Amit Shah's leadership, the party touched new heights, which is exemplary and in the same way he will also serve the party," Nadda tweeted.

PM Modi also congratulated JP Nadda, saying, "I am confident that under the leadership of Shri @AmitShah and Shri @JPNadda, and powered by the hard work of our Karyakartas, the BJP will continue winning people's trust and serving our society. We remain committed to building a strong, developed and inclusive India."

Referring to Nadda as a "diligent worker", Modi tweeted: "Shri @JPNadda is a diligent Karyakarta of the Party, who has risen through the ranks due to his hard work and organisational skills. Humble and affable, he is widely respected across the BJP family. Congratulations to him on becoming the Working President of the Party."

Nadda was, however, unanimously elected as BJP's working president. Amit Shah took to Twitter to say that he had full faith that under Nadda's leadership, the party would be strengthened further and "we would be able to spread BJP's ideology in all corners of the nation."

Hours after Nadda took over as the BJP's working president, several union ministers and party leaders congratulated him on his appointment.

For the first time, a national party has appointed a working president even when there is a full-time party chief. It is quite possible that Nadda, a three-time MLA representing Himachal Pradesh in the Upper House of the Parliament, might succeed Shah whose tenure ends in December 2019.