Prime Minister Narendra Modi with BJP President Amit Shah at the National Council meet.
Top BJP leaders from across the country, in a meeting of the National Council, today ratified the appointment of party president Amit Shah. (
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi, veteran leader LK Advani and senior leaders Rajnath Singh and Arun Jaitley also attended the meeting.
In his speech, Mr Shah praised PM Modi and Mr Singh, saying, "They fulfilled the dreams of lakhs".
He also credited the party's workers for its victory. "Workers are the strength of the party. The people's aspirations are in sync with the BJP," he said.
The session, being held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi, will conclude with PM Modi's address.
The national council will also adopt a political resolution that will focus on the political and economic issues as well as the initiatives taken by the BJP-led NDA government and its roadmap ahead. (
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This is the first meeting of the party's national council after BJP's victory in the Lok Sabha polls.
Top BJP leaders and more than 2,000 party leaders from across the county are participating, besides chief ministers and ministers in BJP-ruled states and Opposition leaders in states where the BJP is not in power. (
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Party patriarch LK Advani will also address party leaders. Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley and other leaders of the party are also taking part in the deliberations.
Mr Shah had taken over as BJP chief on July 9 after Rajnath Singh resigned from the post soon after his joining PM Modi's cabinet.
Though the BJP's Parliamentary Board, the highest decision- making forum of the party, approved the appointment of Amit Shah, the move has to be ratified by the party's national council, as per the party's constitution. (
Amit Shah is the New BJP President)
Mr Shah is credited with scripting BJP's stunning victory in key state of Uttar Pradesh in Lok Sabha elections that helped BJP get an absolute majority of its own.
Addressing the meet, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said, "Some people may wonder why Amit Shah (for BJP chief's post)?"
He said that when he was looking for someone to lead the party in the 2014 Lok Sabha election in Uttar Pradesh, he zeroed in on Mr Shah.
Under Mr Shah's leadership, said Mr Singh, for the first time the BJP got 71 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state.
After the ratification of his appointment, Mr Shah will form his new team that will lead the party. (
A New Team for Amit Shah)
Sources say the new team will include a number of young leaders as the party wants to focus on strengthening the bond with voters and the common man while preparing for coming assembly elections in various states.