12 years ago
Rajnath Singh elected unopposed as BJP PresidentRajnath Singh has been elected unopposed as the new president of the BJP. The 61-year-old will now lead the party as it battles the Congress in next year's general election. His term will end in 2015.
Rajnath Singh says: "The circumstances in which I accept this responsibility are not happy for us. One of our workers on whose character there can be no question, Mr Gadkari, we wanted him to continue. We amended the constitution... but the way he was attacked by baseless allegations - he was hurt and resigned." For highlights of his speech, click here
Rajnath Singh has power to bring people together: AdvaniNitin Gadkari and Mr Advani today addressed the media after Rajnath Singh was elected as the new President of the BJP. Mr Gadkari resigned from the post of BJP president yesterday.
Nitin Gadkari on his term and Rajnath Singh being elected new president of BJP:
- It was a honour to be the chief of this party
- That I, a grassroot worker who was a polling booth manager, who rose to this high office is only possible in the BJP
- Nationalism is our ideology, and through good governance we want to carry forward our work
- As far as second term goes, there has been a political conspiracy to malign me in issues I am not connected to
- Yesterday, I felt that it was a conspiracy to hurt the party by maligning me
- Before everything else we must consider the welfare of the party
- Rajnathji was the party president before me - he will take us all together and his leadership can lead us to victory in 2014
- People believe that if any party can change the future of this country, it is the BJP
- I request all workers and leaders to work together to ensure that we are victorious under Mr Rajnath Singh
BJP formally announces Rajnath Singh as party president. He has been appointed to the post till 2015.
Flanked by LK Advani and Sushma Swaraj, Rajnath Singh files nomination for the post of BJP president. Mr Singh was wearing a black Nehru jacket and a white kurta.
Modi congratulates new BJP president Rajnath SinghGujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today congratulated BJP leader Rajnath Singh who is set to become party president, and said the party would "gain from this" move.
For those of you joining us right now, here's the 10-point cheat-sheet on the big developments in this story.
Workers are all set to celebrate Rajnath Singh's appointment:
The BJP parliamentary board meeting today thanked outgoing president Nitin Gadkari for his "dynamic" leadership for the last three years and unanimously endorsed Mr Singh as his successor. "In the meeting of the parliamentary board, Shri L K Advani moved a motion appreciating the good work done by Shri Nitin Gadkari in last three years. And the entire parliamentary board, all the senior leaders, unanimously accepted the resolution and supported it," BJP leader Ananth Kumar said after the meeting.
JD(U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar congratulated Mr Singh. "Rajnath Singh is an experienced leader, my best wishes to him," said Mr Kumar.
The meeting of the BJP's parliamentary board begins
I called up Shri Rajnath Singh ji & congratulated him. He brings with him vast experience of both organisation & administration.
- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 23, 2013
Mr Singh arrived at the BJP headquarters with Nitin Gadkari, as the main Opposition party attempts to set its house in order after its internal wranglings played out in public all of Tuesday, ending in Mr Gadkari resigning late last night and confirming that he would not seek an unprecedented second consecutive term as party president after all.
Rajnath Singh comes out after meeting L K Advani at his house
Mr Singh also met outgoing BJP president Nitin Gadkari. He is expected to arrive at the BJP headquarters with Mr Gadkari.
Rajnath Singh, who is set to be the new president of the BJP, met party senior LK Advani this morning, before heading to the BJP headquarters, to attend a party parliamentary board meeting and file his nomination papers.
