New Delhi, January 16, 2026 — The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has officially released the schedule for the election of its next national president, marking the formal transition from incumbent J.P. Nadda, who has led the party since January 2020.
According to the announcement made by BJP national returning officer K. Laxman on Friday, nominations for the post will be filed on January 19, 2026, between 2 PM and 4 PM. Scrutiny of the nomination papers will follow shortly after, with the window for withdrawals set between 5 PM and 6 PM on the same day.
Polling, if required, will take place on January 20, 2026, between 11:30 AM and 1:30 PM. The official announcement of the new elected national president will be made later that day. The entire process will be conducted at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi.
Party sources indicate that the election is likely to be uncontested, with Nitin Nabin, the current national working president, poised to be elected unopposed. Nabin, a five-time MLA from Bihar and a former minister in the state, was appointed as national working president in December 2025. He enjoys strong support from the party’s top leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
This anticipated smooth transition signals a generational shift within the BJP, bringing in younger leadership as the party prepares for future electoral and organisational challenges. Nabin is expected to formally take charge in the presence of senior leaders, including Modi, Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and outgoing president Nadda.
Nadda’s tenure, which began exactly six years ago on January 20, 2020, has seen the party maintain its dominance at the national level and expand its footprint across states. His successor’s appointment comes at a pivotal time for the organisation, reinforcing continuity while introducing fresh organisational energy.
All eyes will now be on the developments over the next few days, with the formal declaration set for January 20, 2026. The BJP’s decision to opt for an unopposed election, if it materialises, aligns with its tradition of consensus-driven leadership changes at the top.
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