National Presidents of BJP

Bharatiya Janta Party is currently a leading party in India. It has gained power in 2014 general elections and after the five years tenure, it regained the power in 2019 elections again. In the year 1980, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Lal Krishna Advani founded and named the Party as Bharatiya Janta Party, and before that, it was in the form of Bharatiya Jan Sangh and Janta Party.

Here is the complete list of National Presidents of BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) from 1980 to 2020.

Have a look at the table given below to know about all the National Presidents of BJP in a very short time.

Also, find brief information about the political career of all the BJP presidents and how they became party president.

List of National Presidents of Bharatiya Janta Party

S. No. Tenure Name Born Died Constituency /State Awards
1 1980-1986 Atal Bihari Vajpayee 25-Dec-1924 16-Aug-2018 Madhya Pradesh Bharat Ratna (2015) Padma Vibhushan (1992)
2 1986-1991 Lal Krishna Advani 08-Nov-1927 Gujarat Padma Vibhushan (2015)
3 1991-1993 Murli Manohar Joshi 05-Jan-1934 Uttar Pradesh Padma Vibhushan (2017)
4 1993-1998 Lal Krishna Advani (Second Term) 08-Nov-1927 Gujarat Padma Vibhushan (2015)
5 1998-2000 Kushabhau Thakre 15-Aug-1922 28-Dec-2003 Madhya Pradesh
6 2000-2001 Bangaru Laxman 17-Mar-1939 01-Mar-2014 Andhra Pradesh
7 2001-2002 Jana Krishnamurthi 24-May-1928 25-Sep-2007 Tamil Nadu
8 2002-2004 MuppavarapuVenkaiah Naidu 01-Jul-1949 Andhra Pradesh
9 2004-2005 Lal Krishna Advani (Third Term) 08-Nov-1927 Gujarat Padma Vibhushan (2015)
10 2005-2009 Rajnath Singh 10-Jul-1951 Uttar Pradesh
11 2009-2013 Nitin Jairam Gadkari 27-May-1957 Maharashtra
12 2013-2014 Rajnath Singh (Second Term) 10-Jul-1951 Uttar Pradesh
13 2014-2020 Amit Anilchandra Shah 22-Oct-1964 Gujarat
14 2020-Present Jagat Prakash Nadda 02-Dec-1960 Himachal Pradesh

Brief Information about National Presidents of BJP

1. Atal Bihari Vajpayee

A pro leader of Bharatiya Janata Party, born in Gwalior on 25 December 1924 to Krishna Devi (Mother) and Shaym Lal Vajpayee (Father). He completed his Master’s Degree from DAV College, Kanpur where he joined Arya Samaj Sabha and influenced by Babasaheb Apte. He joined RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) at 16, and actively participated in Officer Training Camp of RSS from 1940-1944 and became a full-time Pracharak of RSS in 1947. He became President of Bharatiya Jan Sangh in 1968, and in 1977 with a coalition of various parties, they formed BJP. He became Foreign Minister when Sri Moraraji Desai was prime minister in 1977. Finally, in 1980 he became the first National President of the Bharatiya Janata Party. In May 1996, he was elected as the Prime Minister of India and served for 13 days only because he didn’t prove majority to form a government.

Again in 1998, he was elected as Prime Minister and served for 13 months only. However, he took important steps like Pokhran nuclear tests, the Lahore summit, and the Kargil War. Again, on 13th October 1999, he took oath as the Prime Minister of India and served for the full term of 5 years (1999 to 2004). Some important events took place in his third tenure such as parliament attack on 13 December 2001, Gujarat riots in 2002, etc. He is still remembered for his great political career, his unique persona, his famous speech in Parliament, for his poems; he is the inspiration for children and youth. He was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2015 and Padma Vibhushan in 1992. On 16th August 2018, he left the world due to poor health condition but his legacy still continues, people remind him as a great leader.

2. Lal Krishna Advani

Shri Lal Krishna Advani, one of the Co-Founder and Senior BJP Leader, was born on 8 November 1927 to Krishnachand D. Advani (Father) & Gyani Devi (Mother). He completed his Law Degree from Bombay University. He joined RSS at 14 and became a full-time Pracharak of RSS. He solely started various Shakhas at Karachi. In 1977, he served as the Information and Broadcasting Minister. In 1982, he became a prominent leader of BJP and represented the Rajya Sabha seats of BJP from Madhya Pradesh.

In 1986, he became the national President of BJP Party and took part in the Great RathYatra. He served the Party as President for five years and in 1991, he was preceded by Shri Murali Manohar Joshi. Again in 1993, Advani became Party President that was ended up in 1998. Again in 2004, he became Party President for one year that ended up in 2005. He served as Home Minister from 1998-2004 and also as Deputy Prime Minister from 2002-2004. He was awarded Padma Vibhushan in 2015. Under his leadership, BJP became the face for Shri Ram Janma Bhoomi campaign. During his leadership, some important events took place like Hawala System, Babri Mosque issue, and Jinnah issue. In 2004, BJP was defeated by the opponent party INC and from 2004 to 2009 Advani Ji was an active opponent leader.

3. Murali Manohar Joshi

A senior-most affluent leader of BJP, Murali Manohar Joshi, was born in Kumaoni region of Almora hills on 5th January 1934. He completed his Master’s Degree and Research from Allahabad University. Before entering politics he was a teaching Faculty at Allahabad University. At a very young age, he joined RSS and worked for the Cow protection Movement from 1953-54. He was elected as Member of Parliament in 1977 and worked till 1980. In 1980, He was appointed as the General Secretary of BJP and was in charge of Bihar, Bengal, and North-Eastern states. In the 13-day BJP government, he served as the Minister of Home Affairs from 16 May 1996 to 1 June 1996.

Joshi Ji served the BJP as Party President from 1991 to 1993. When BJP regained power in 1998, he was elected and served as Minister of Human Resource and Development from 1998 to 2004. In 1999, he became Minister of Science and technology and took the command of the Ministry of Science and technology till 2004. He was a Member of Lok sabha and from Varanasi, Kanpur, Allahabad Constituencies he represented his Party. He was also awarded Padma Vibhushan in 2015.

4. Kushabhau Thakre

Kushabhau Thakre was one of the affluent politicians and Party President of BJP. He was born in Dhar, M.P. on 15 August 1922 to Dr. Sundarrao Shripatirao Thakre and Smt. ShantaBai Sundarrao Thakre. He completed his education from Dhar and Gwalior. He joined RSS as a Pracharak in the year 1942. In the year 1956, He served the Bharatiya Jan Sangh as Secretary. In the year 1980, he joined BJP as Secretary and in charge of Gujarat, Odisha, and Madhya Pradesh.

Thakre Ji was appointed as President of the Bharatiya Janata Party on 14th April 1998. He served the BJP as Party President till 2000. On 28th December 2003, Kushabhau Thakre took his last breath and died due to Kidney Disease. But, his thoughts and ideologies are still an inspiration for aspiring Political leaders. It was the uniqueness of his personality that some famous institutes and places are named after him in Raipur, Bhopal, Indore, Ahmadabad, etc.

5. Bangaru Laxman

Bangaru Laxman was Party President of BJP and was an active political leader of BJP. He was born on 17 March 1939 in Andhra Pradesh. His father was B. Narasimha and Mother B. Shivamma. He completed his Law Degree from Hyderabad. He was married to Susheela Laxman Bangaru; she was also a Political leader and member of 14th Lok Sabha. Bangaru Laxman joined RSS at the age of 12 in 1953. He became an active leader of the Jan Sangh Party in the year 1969. He was a member of the Legislative Council from 1980-85. He represented the Rajya Sabha Seats of Gujarat from 1996-2002. He served the Railway Ministry from 1999 to 2000.

In the Year 2000, he was appointed as Party President of BJP and he served the Party as president till 2001. He died on 1st March 2014 due to illness.

6. Jana Krishnamurthi

Late Shri Jana Krishnamurthi was an Indian politician and former Party President of the BJP. He was born on 24 May 1928 in Madurai in a lawyer family. He completed his Law Degree from Chennai Law College. He joined RSS in 1940. M.S. Golwalker suggested him to join RSS and thus he gave up his Law Degree and joined RSS. He became the General Secretary of BJP in 1983. In 1985 he led the BJP as the Vice President of the party. He expanded the Party in Southern State Kerala.

On 14th March 2001, he became the Party President of BJP and served the party President till 2002. He was also former Union Minister of India. He died on 25 September 2007 due to illness.

7. Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu

Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu is the current Vice President of India and he was a pro leader of BJP. He was born on 1 July 1949 in Nellore to Father Rangaiah Naidu and Mother Ramanamma. He completed his Law Degree from Andhra University. During his college days, he joined ABVP (Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad) and was an active member of RSS. In 1972, he played a crucial role in Jai Andhra Movement.

Venkaiah Naidu was elected as MLA twice from the Udayagiri consistency of Andhra Pradesh in the year 1978 and 1983. In the year 1996, he was selected as the spokesperson of BJP and served the party till 2000. In September 2000, Sri Venkaiah Naidu joined the Ministry of Rural Development as Union Cabinet Minister of Rural Development and served his position till June 2002.

In July 2002, he was selected as Party President of BJP and served the party as President till October 2004. During his entire Political career in BJP, he was served the Cabinet as Minister of Parliamentary Affairs (May 2014-July 2016), Ministry of Urban Development, Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (May 2014-July 2017), and Minister of Information and Broadcasting (July 2016-July 2017). Currently, he is serving the nation as Vice President of India.

8. Rajnath Singh

Rajnath Singh is an active member of BJP and currently, he is serving the nation as Defense Minister of India. He served the BJP twice as Party President. Rajnath Singh was born on 10 July 1951 in Chandauli, Uttar Pradesh to Ram Badan Singh (Father) and Gujarati Devi (Mother). He completed his Masters from Gorakhpur University.

He joined RSS at the age of 13. In 1984, he was elected as State President of BJP Youth Wing. In the year 1986, he served the Party as National General Secretary of Youth Wing and in 1986, he elected as National President of Youth Wing. In 1991, he became the Education Minister of Uttar Pradesh, and the Anti-Copying Act, 1992 was implemented by him. He served the nation as Union Surface Transport Minister from 1999 to 2000. In 2000, he became Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and served the state till 2002. He served the Ministry of Agriculture as Union Agriculture Minister from 2003 to 2004.

Rajnath Singh was elected as National President of BJP and served the party from 31 December 2005 to 19 December 2009. He served the Party as President again from January 2013 to July 2014. After BJP regained power in 2014, he joined the Cabinet as Union Minister of Home Affairs. Currently, he is the Union Defence Minister and joined the Defence Ministry on 31 May 2019.

9. Nitin Jairam Gadkari

Nitin Jairam Gadkari is the current Union Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. He was the Ex-President of BJP. Nitin Jairam Gadkari or Nitin Gadkari was born on 27 May 1957 in Nagpur to Father Jairam Gadkari and Mother Bhanutai Gadkari. He completed his Masters and Law Degree from Nagpur University. During his college days, he was an active member of ABVP (Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad) and Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha. From 1995 to 1999, Nitin Gadkari was elected as Minister of Public Works Department in the Government of Maharashtra. He strongly sported privatization and investment.

In the year 2009, he was positioned as Party President of BJP and he served the Party till 2013. In 2014 elections, he won from his constituency Nagpur. In the year 2014, he joined the Cabinet as the Union Minister of Shipping on 26 May 2014 and till 30 May 2019, he served the nation as Minister of Shipping. On 31 May 2019, he became Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, and currently, he is serving the nation. Gadkari is one of the most popular leaders of BJP, apart from being a politician he is a businessman too.

10. Amit Anilchandra Shah

Amit Anilchandra Shah is Union Minister of Home Affairs and Ex-Party President of BJP. He was born on 22 October 1964 in Mumbai to Anil Chandra Shah (Father) and Kusumben Shah (Mother). He did his Graduation from CU Shah Science College, Ahmedabad. He joined RSS at a very early age and volunteered many campaigns under it. Amit Shah joined BJP in 1987 and became an activist of BJYM (Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha).

He was recognized as an excellent Election Campaign Manager for Lal Krishna Advani in Gandhinagar in 1991 Lok Sabha Elections. In 1997, he was elected as Member of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly and he worked till 2012. Again in the year 2012 he elected as Member of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly and represented the Assembly till 2017. In the year 2002, he was selected as the Minister of State, Government of Gujarat.

After the 2014 General Elections, on 9th July 2014, Shah became the Party President of BJP and served the party as President till 20 January 2020. He is currently serving the nation as Minister of Home Affairs. He is said as the main strategist of BJP.

11. Jagat Prakash Nadda

Jagat Prakash Nadda is the current Party President of BJP. He was born on 2 October 1960 to Narain Lall Nadda (Father) and Krishna Nadda (Mother) in Patna, Bihar. He completed his Law Degree from Himachal Pradesh University. J. P. Nadda represented as Member of Legislative Assembly of Himachal Pradesh from 1993 to 2003 and from 2007 to 2012.

He worked as Minister of Health & Family Welfare and Parliamentary Affairs of Himachal Pradesh from 1998 to 2003. In the year 2007, he was elected as Minister of Forest, Environment, Science and Technology of Himachal Pradesh and he served the state till 2012. In November 2014, J. P. Nadda was elected as the Union Cabinet Minister of Health and Family Welfare and he served the position till May 2019.

Currently, he is the Party President of BJP and he joined this position on 20 January 2020. J.P. Nadda was appointed as the working President of BJP on 17th June 2019 and took over the role of Party President in January 2020.