Leadership transitions often fracture political parties; in the BJP, they have become instruments of consolidation. A new succession plan in the BJP, which had been awaited for months, has finally come into force. By selecting Nitin Nabin as its new president, the party leadership once again demonstrated that it always leaves room for pundits to speculate. Predictions were in the air well before the much-awaited announcement was made. But, as usual, the Modi-Shah duo shattered the pundits’ hopes of having made an accurate forecast. This time, the party’s choice for its highest post did not even feature on the rarest-chance lists of political observers.
A succession plan executed with such precision can only happen in the BJP. Its principal opponent, the Congress, has rarely displayed similar secrecy or accuracy in deciding its top leadership. It is common knowledge that the Congress seldom looks beyond the Nehru-Gandhi family when choosing its leader, and the elevation of a grassroots worker remains highly unlikely. This makes the BJP’s approach quite unusual in the political history of India.
Another notable feature of the BJP has been a leadership duo that has always worked tirelessly to steer the party through the turbulence of Indian politics. This tradition famously began with the Vajpayee–Advani combination. Through relentless commitment and hard work, the duo lifted the party from the position of an underdog to one of respectability. They consistently fought the political untouchability that had haunted the party for decades. Later, grounded in strongly nurtured nationalist principles, the party, under the solid foundational leadership of Vajpayee and Advani, held office multiple times. Although brief, their tenures of 13 days and 13 months and at last a complete period of five years left a lasting impression by introducing a new political framework, marked by mutual understanding between veterans while simultaneously nurturing a new generation of leaders to carry the baton forward for years to come.
Vajpayee and Advani remained a formidable combination who exemplified the possibility of leading the same political party without allowing camouflaged personal ambitions to deceptively build walls of disagreement between them. A friendship of the rarest kind, their partnership displayed remarkable alignment when it came to shaping the party’s future. Vajpayee was widely known for his moderate stance on critical issues, while Advani remained firmly grounded in and supportive of decisive actions, especially during the Ram Janmabhoomi Movement. Advani believed that mass mobilization for the construction of the Ram Mandir would redefine the party’s prospects, whereas Vajpayee remained an ardent advocate of legality, restraint, and national unity.
Cutting across political differences with opposition parties, Vajpayee’s moderate approach and stewardship as a mature statesman became the key stitching factor that enabled the BJP to form governments for three terms. Advani, by his own admission, was destined to lead a mass movement meant to express the popular faith of a large section of India and to register a historical grievance of the majority; in that pursuit, he did what he believed was necessary. Both leaders, however, expressed remorse over the destruction of the disputed structure at Ayodhya on December 6, 1992, and the chaos that its demolition unleashed across the country.
The second most formidable and successful duo that shaped the history of the saffron party was the Narendra Modi–Amit Shah combination. Their chemistry is known to have gone beyond the ordinary, scripting historic political successes in both state elections and at the national level. It was in the early 1980s that the two leaders first came together. Narendra Modi began his journey in social service as an RSS pracharak, while Amit Shah, on Modi’s direction, joined the student cadre of the saffron party. Since then, both have maintained a strong bonhomie that continues even today.
Almost four decades of ideological and personal bonding helped them hold the reins of Gujarat for more than a decade and later at the national level. Even today, Amit Shah remains the most trusted lieutenant of the Prime Minister. Both the Atal-Advani and the Modi–Shah combinations enjoyed tremendous backing from the RSS. Rooted in four decades of shared ideology, mutual trust, and affection for the organization; political observers believe their unity to be exceptionally deep.
Their bond, loyalty, and ideological firmness were tested during the difficult period of the Gujarat riots and the state elections that followed in 2002. Recognizing Amit Shah’s abilities as an electoral strategist and operational enforcer, Narendra Modi appointed him Home Minister soon after Shah’s tenure as party president ended. Modi replaced party veteran Rajnath Singh with Amit Shah. It has become a subject of study even among political opponents as to how two individuals can survive in politics in such close camaraderie for decades.
Vajpayee and Advani, on the other hand, were colleagues and co-founders of their political ideology, sharing a strenuous journey in building it into a political party. Their persecution during the National Emergency imposed by the Indira Gandhi regime remained a common experience that strengthened their mutual respect and competitive stature. Both contributed equally to the RSS as full-time workers, and their political journey continued as one of equals.
After the Emergency backlash and a complete rout at the national level, Indira Gandhi’s comeback was nothing short of a political tsunami. The BJP, a political novice in its present form, won just two seats in the 1984 general elections. From this modest beginning of two seats in 1984 to 183 seats in 1999, and later a decisive majority in 2014 followed by two consecutive terms, the saffron party emerged as the largest political party in the world with its undisputed sheen.
Leaders rising from the grassroots have gone on to lead the party at the national level, with successive generations flourishing under their organizational and leadership acumen. In contrast, the Congress has witnessed a six-member succession from the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty. Through its generational shift, the BJP demonstrated that leadership from the grassroots is better suited to a country as diverse as India. Between 2014 and 2020, the BJP won nearly 90 per cent of the state elections it contested, expanding its influence on almost 20 states. In contrast, the Congress, with its dynastic leadership, saw a corresponding decline during the same period.
In an era marked by factionalism and short-lived alliances, the BJP’s experience with enduring leadership duos stands apart. Whether it was Vajpayee and Advani, shaped by shared struggles during the Emergency, or Modi and Shah, bound by decades of ideological commitment, the party’s internal cohesion has played a decisive role in its political success. That cohesion continues to define the BJP’s approach to leadership, succession, and governance today. From Vajpayee-Advani to Modi-Shah, the BJP’s story is ultimately one of unity shaping endurance.