Why Nitin Nabin was appointed the Working President of BJP

Nitin Nabin’s closeness to former BJP President and Home Minister Amit Shah is seen as a big factor behind his appointment.

New Delhi: In a significant political development from the Bhartatiya Janata Party (BJP), Nitin Nabin was appointed as the BJP Working President on Sunday evening. Notably, Nitin Nabin is currently serving as the Minister of Road Construction in the Bihar government led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and is a five-time MLA from the state. Here are the possible reasons behind why a grassroot leader like Nitin Nabin was appointed as the BJP Working President.

1. Message to the grassroots workers of BJP

1. Nitin Nabin’s appointment sends a strong signal to the young leaders/ party workers of BJP that any even low-profile leader or ordinary worker coming from any background can rise to top organizational positions in the party.
2. Nitin’s appointment also reinforces BJP’s narrative of rewarding loyalty and hard work. As seen in recent CM selections in Madhya Pradesh (Mohan Yadav), Rajasthan (Bhajan Lal Sharma), Chhattisgarh (Vishnu Deo Sai) and Odisha (Mohan Charan Majhi), BJP has kept rewarding hard working party leaders who have worked at the grass-root level.

2. Consolidation of traditional upper-caste (Savarna) vote bank

1. Nitin’s appointment to the top leadership sends a message of reassurance to BJP’s traditional upper-caste voters that the party values their support.
2. As a member of the Kayastha community, Nabin’s elevation to the party’s top post may help BJP attract Kayastha voters in the upcoming West Bengal and Assam Assembly Assembly Elections 2026.
3. Nitin’s appointment also puts focus on the cultural and social ties between Kayastha communities of Bihar and Bengal, which might help BJP.
4. Symbolically appeals to Bengal’s Bhodralok and intellectual class, historically associated with the Kayastha community.
5. Provides BJP an opportunity to make a caste-based and cultural outreach beyond Bihar.
6. As notable big names from West Bengal like Jyoti Basu, Bidhan Chandra Roy and Swami Vivekananda and Subhas Chandra Bose come from the Kayastha community which has historically shaped Bengal’s political leadership and Bhadralok intellectual tradition, Nitin Nabin’s appointment gives a strong cultural and caste signal.

3. Closeness to Home Minister Amit Shah

1. Nitin Nabin’s closeness to former BJP President and Home Minister Amit Shah is seen as a big factor behind his appointment as it will help in ensuring smoother coordination between government and organization as Nitin’s appointment is likely to speed up strategic decision-making and execution.
2. Moreover, Nitin’s low-profile nature makes him highly- accessible to workers and also aligns with BJP’s anti-high-command narrative.

4. Part of BJP’s new social engineering strategy

1. Nitin’s appointment reflects BJP’s shift from a purely ideological (Hindutva based politics) focus to a more nuanced caste-region-perception-based approach.
2. The appointment counters the perception of BJP being limited just to the Hindi heartland areas.
3. Reflects BJP’s system of reward where Nitin’s  proven organizational success in Chhattisgarh helped BJP win a massive 54 seats. Moreover, his experience in northeastern states like Sikkim also makes him a better choice for Executive President of the BJP.

5. A soft alternative to Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal

1. Seen as part of BJP’s long-term strategy for West Bengal.
2. Nitin’s soft-spoken, calm and dignified image contrasts with Mamata Banerjee’s aggressive political style, which can be used in the upcoming elections.
3. Nitin’s Kayastha background may help counter BJP’s image as an aggressive and “outsider” party in Bengal.
4. Offers a socially acceptable, administratively experienced face to penetrate Trinamool Congress’s traditional support base.
5. Positions him as a credible and culturally compatible organizer for Bengal’s political landscape.