Politics not luxury and comfort, but austerity: Nitin Nabin’s first address as BJP chief

New Delhi: After being elected the new BJP National President on Tuesday, Nitin Nabin said that this day is “a moment of resolve” for him, as he is not just assuming a post but also the “ideology, traditions, and the responsibility of a nationalist movement of the party”.

Nitin Nabin was elected the BJP National President during the organisational event (Sangathan Parv) at the party headquarters in New Delhi, becoming the youngest leader to hold the post.

Outgoing BJP national president J.P. Nadda, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari felicitated the newly-elected BJP National President Nabin at the party headquarters in Delhi.

Addressing the gathering, Nabin said, “Today, above all else, I want to extend my sincere thanks to each of you. You have allowed an everyday worker like me to attain this esteemed position within the party, and I deeply appreciate it. Prime Minister, I want to convey my genuine gratitude to you, as we, the ordinary workers, have consistently watched you working tirelessly, striving for the service of our nation.”

Recalling a programme with PM Modi in Anand, Gujarat, he said, “At that time, I held the position of National General Secretary, and I witnessed how you paid attention to every individual during the Sadbhavana Mission programme. After the event concluded, when you addressed us in your green room, you articulated with great feeling the reasons behind the large turnout of people from Gujarat.”

That day, the new BJP chief said that he understood that a “person becomes great when they emotionally connect themselves with the public”.

Nabin also expressed gratitude to the former BJP National Presidents J.P. Nadda, Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, and Rajnath Singh for their contributions to the party during their tenure.

“I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the former national presidents; they have made a tremendous contribution to bringing the party to this point,” he said.

“We are associated with such a political party, where politics is not power, it is spiritual practice, not indulgence, but sacrifice. It is not luxury and comfort, it is austerity. Politics is not a position of authority, it is responsibility,” Nabin said.

“This day is a moment of resolve for me. Today, I am not just assuming a position, but also the ideology, traditions, and the responsibility of a nationalist movement of this party,” he said.

“Today, 140 crore Indians are connecting themselves with the dream of a Viksit Bharat and are working to take the country forward,” Nabin said, crediting the Prime Minister for this.

The new BJP chief recalled the time when PM Modi abolished Article 370, “the atmosphere of Kashmir changed, and today the Tricolour flies proudly at every corner of Kashmir”.

“We work with the thought of ‘Nation First, Party Next, and Self Last’,” he added.

As the sole candidate, Nabin was formally elected by the electoral college comprising members of the BJP’s national council and state councils.

The process aligns with BJP rules, which require a candidate to be proposed by at least 20 electoral college members from a state and to have a minimum of 15 years of party membership.

Nabin’s rise is seen as a strategic move to infuse youthful leadership into the party organisation while preserving continuity.

IANS