Nitin Nabin Becomes BJP Working President At 45: How Old Are India’s Other Party Chiefs? , India News

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on December 14 appointed Bihar minister Nitin Nabin as its national working president, elevating a 45-year-old leader to a key organizational role at a time when most major political parties in India continue to be led by significantly older figures.

The decision, taken by the BJP’s Parliamentary Board after weeks of anticipation, signals a notable generational shift within the party’s leadership structure. Party sources indicate that Nabin is likely to be elected as the BJP’s national president next year, shortly after Makar Sankranti on January 14. In a similar trajectory, JP Nadda had earlier served as national working president before assuming the party’s top post.

A long-time RSS-trained organizer and former Bihar minister, Nabin is among the youngest leaders to enter the BJP’s national power hierarchy, underscoring the party’s effort to balance organizational continuity with generational renewal.

A comparison with other major Indian political parties highlights how unusual Nabin’s rise is.

At the Indian National Congress, President Mallikarjun Kharge is currently 83 and took charge in October 2022 at the age of 80. Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal, now 57, assumed office in 2012 when he was 44. Trinamool Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee, aged 70, has led the party since 1998, having taken charge at 42.

Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav is 77 and became party president in 1997 at the age of 49. In the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar faction), Sharad Pawar, now 85, assumed leadership in 1999 at 58.

Among regional parties, DMK president MK Stalin is 72 and took office in 2018 at 65, while AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, now 71, assumed the role in 2023 at 68. Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) leader Eknath Shinde, aged 61, took charge in 2022 at around 58, while Uddhav Thackeray, heading the Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction, is 65 and became party chief in 2013 at 52.

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, currently 52, assumed leadership in 2017 at 43. Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati, now 69, took charge in 2003 at 47. Biju Janata Dal leader Naveen Patnaik, aged 79, has led his party since 1997, when he was 51.

Why Nabin’s elevation stands out

Across India’s political landscape, party leadership remains largely concentrated among leaders in their late 60s, 70s and even 80s, many of whom have held top posts for decades. Against this backdrop, Nitin Nabin’s appointment at 45 stands out as a clear exception.

For the BJP, the move conveys a dual message: continuity under experienced veterans alongside a visible attempt to promote younger leaders into national-level organizational roles. Whether this appointment marks the beginning of a bigger generational change or remains largely symbolic will be closely watched in the months ahead.