The Nitin Nabin Moment: What BJP Is Really Planning Next

The BJP president election reveals a deeper RSS–BJP consensus, generational churn, and a calculated bet on humility over dominance.

By MANISH ANAND

New Delhi, January 20, 2026 — The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sought to make a statement out of the party’s election for new president—37 sets of nominations, Union Ministers and Chief Ministers queuing up to submit endorsements, and political heavyweights counting virtues of the new face.

The outcome of the organisational elections in the BJP is not decided by nomination papers or ballots. It’s sealed after protracted hard discussions between the BJP with its ideological mentor—the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS). The BJP gives a semblance that the party has followed the norms as enshrined in the Representative of People’s Act—abiding and following the internal democracy.

Without exceptions, Nitin Nabin invites praise that “he’s most humble.” This is shared by the BJP leaders, Patna-based journalists, and RSS functionaries. Nabin is an MLA from Patna West Assembly constituency. He inherited electoral politics after the untimely demise of his father Nabin Kishore Prasad Sinha in 2006.

The BJP’s most successful president, arguably, is Amit Shah. No one calls him a humble person. Shah invites descriptions such as “combative,” “no-nonsense,” “intimidating,” and “tough task master.”

Under Shah’s presidency, the BJP won 303 Lok Sabha seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. That feat sent the BJP leaders chanting “abki bar 400 par.”

Nabin seems an antithesis of Shah in personal traits. Why will the BJP bring “a very humble person” to helm the party when winning every election is a mantra of the saffron outfit? Possibly, Nabin will witness a consequential leadership transition in the BJP. His “humble” trait will help him talk to several power centres which may crop up in the run up to the leadership transition phase.

At an age of 45, “election” of Nabin as the BJP president also promises to hasten phasing out those above 70 years from electoral politics. Exceptions evidently will be there, with scope of squeezing the leadership largess.

But, equally significant, is growing admission among the BJP leaders that youngsters—GenZ—are an unpredictable factor in future elections. The internet age generation is defying fear in parts of the world to throw out entrenched regimes. Nabin has a task cut out—build bridges with GenZ. Modi already has counselled the GenZ when its members were preparing for Board Exams—10^th and 12^th—with annual rituals of Pariksha pe charcha. But GenZ in neighbouring Nepal and Bangladesh has shown least respect for rituals.

From Father’s Setback to Son’s Rise: BJP Bets on Nitin Nabin

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About The Author

Manish Anand

Manish Anand is a senior journalist with more than two decades of hardcore reporting on beats such as Prime Minister’s Office, Parliament, BJP, Congress, Planning Commission, NITI Aayog, and scores of Union Ministries.

His past has been with The New Indian Express, The Asian Age/Deccan Chronicle, and The Statesman.

For about 15 years, Manish was also a regular commentator and host for talks on AIR on foreign affairs.

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