Jane DoeBJP gained landslide majority after Indira Gandhi’s defeat in 1977. Back then, the Janta Party (JP) and Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS) came together as one ignoring their diagonally opposite ideologies. Of course, it was to safeguard the nation’s interest which brought the apparent rivals JP and RSS together. Eventually after 1980, Indira Gandhi rose back in power with commanding majority. This prompted the erstwhile BJS to break free from JP and form BJP under the leadership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Lal Krishna Advani.
1. Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Atal Bihari Vajpayee had first sworn in as the Prime Minister in the year 1996. This was after BJP won 1995 general elections riding on pro-nationalistic sentiments. Then again, he vowed to serve the Prime Minister’s chair in the year 1998, this time for a longer period. Under his leadership, the NDA alliance ruled the center until 2004 before the UPA government won back again. The most notable defense events under his rule are-
Operation Shakti: It is otherwise known as Pokhran 2. Indian Army’s Pokhran Test Range administered five consecutive bombs for testing purpose. This created a massive outcry in the aftermath.
Kargil War: A dominant war between India and Pakistan to stop infiltration of the Pakistani army and militants. It took place in the Kargil district of Kashmir and along the LOC.
Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee also played a pivotal role in many infrastructural development like proposing the idea of connecting all the rivers in the country or developing the golden quadrilateral. His tenure was marked as an era of growth and development but BJP cannot be forgiven for the wrong political campaigning of “India Shining” during the time when economy was not really looking up.
2. Shri Lal Krishna Advani
Lal Krishna Advani battled as a Prime Minister candidate in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections and was defeated. However, he has commendable contributions to the party. Not to mention, he is one of the pioneers in NDA alliance apart from Atal Bihari Vajpayee. LK Advani is a law graduate from Government Law College, Mumbai. In the first hand, he served as the president of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in Karachi (his birthplace). Then,
- Went on to lead Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS)
- After being elected and re-elected in Raj Sabha respectively in 1970 and 1976, he served as Union Cabinet Minister in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
- Served as General Secretary of BJP from 1980-86
- Led the BJP Parliamentary party from 1989-91
- After treading a long path with BJP, he finally served as the leader of opposition in the year 2009.
3. Sushma Swaraj
Sushma Swaraj overlooks the ministry of External Affairs in Modi government currently. The former Supreme Court Lawyer, Sushma Swaraj studied law from Punjab University, Chandigarh. Not only she is the next woman successor of Indira Gandhi as an External Affairs Minister, but also woman of talent. What’s more,
- She was selected 7 times as an MP and 3 times as an MLA.
- Also, she was the youngest MP from Haryana Legislative Assembly in the year 1977 when all of 25.
- In the year 1998, she resigned from Union Cabinet to assume the charge as the Chief Minister of Delhi. After BJP’s defeat in the Assembly elections, she returned to National Politics.
- She won the 2009 Lok Sabha elections Vidisha Lok Sabha Constituency in Madhya Pradesh. Later, she replaced LK Advani to become the leader of opposition.
4. Venkaiah Naidu
He is currently serving as Union Minister of Urban Development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation. Naidu studied law from Law College, Andhra University. Furthermore, Being indulged with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) from early childhood, he started his career as a member of Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad (ABVP).
- He was elected as an MLA in 1978 from Udaygiri Constituency. In essence, he rose as the most renowned BJP leader from Andhra Pradesh.
- He served as the Rural Development minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee cabinet after NDA’s win in 1999.
- Became the National President of BJP in 2002.
- Naidu’s third term as a Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka completed in June, 2016.
5. Narendra Modi
Now serving as the 14th Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2001-2014. He pioneered the massive win of BJP in 2014 General Elections.
- Modi was trained by RSS and assigned to politics in 1985.
- During Prime Minister India Gandhi’s declaration of State of Emergency in 1975, Modi continued to distribute pamphlets for RSS propaganda. He then kept escaping arrest in disguise.
- As BJP’s won State Assembly Elections in 1995, he was elected as National Secretary of BJP and sent to Delhi.
- He helped organize LK Advani’s controversial Rath Yatra in the year 1999.
- With a rickety reputation after an ailing Keshubhai Patel, BJP sought a new face as the Chief Minister of Gujarat. Modi was chosen for the replacement. He then served as the CM of Gujarat from 2001-14.
- In 2014 General Elections, Modi won from both his constituencies, Varanasi and Vadodara. He there defeated AAP’s candidate Arvind Kejriwal and Madhusudan Mistry respectively. Obviously, a politician of his repute is too good for a CM.
- As a result, the Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi assumed charge as the Prime Minister of India and his stint continues.
6. Amit Shah
He is the current president of BJP. In 2014 Lok sabha elections, BJP and its allies took over the entire Gujarat as they won 73 out of 80 seats. In essence, the party appointed Shah National President in the same year.
- He too worked with RSS from early childhood.
- He started his political career as a leaver of ABVP in 1983.
- Shah, with help of Modi, commendably ousted Congress impact in rural Gujarat in 1995. It was under Keshubhai Patel’s Chief Ministerial tenure.
- In 2002 Assembly Elections, he battled from the Sarkhej constituency in Gujarat. No wonder, he won by the highest margin and became the youngest minister of Modi cabinet.
7. Murli Manohar Joshi
The BJP veteran presided over the party during 1991-1993. He, who shares a strong affiliation with the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) did also serve Human Resources Development minister later. Soon after acquiring Doctorate from Allahabad University, he started teaching Physics there. As a young man he joined the RSS and took part in Cow Protection Movement (1953-54) and Kumbh Kisan Andolan in UP (1955). People of Almora then elected him as a Member of Parliament.
- After Janta Party’s sweeping vicorty, it elected Joshi as General Secretary.
- After the Government fell and his party came out of Janta Party in 1980, Joshi first looked after the office as General Secretary as a member of BJP.
- He was three-term M.P from Allahabad. Later he faced defeat in Lok Sabha elections in 2004.
- He served as a Home Minister in the 13 days Government, 1996. of course, he was the then best choice for it.
8. Shanta Kumar
He is the former Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh. He won the 9th Lok Sabha election from Kangra Constituency (1989).
- Elected as a Panch in Gram Panchayet of Garhjamula (1963). This marks the start of his political career.
- Later on, elected to the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly in 1972. His stint was during 1985-1992.
- Served as a senior minister in Atal Bihari Vajpayee government during 1999-2004. Respectively as Union Minister of Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (1999-2002), Union Minister of Rural Development (2002-2004).
9. Rajnath Singh
Rajnath Singh is a popular party member of the BJP. He played a very significant role in making Narendra Modi the Prime Ministerial candidate for BJP. Mr. Singh supported the idea that party needs young blood and veteran leaders should therefore take a back seat. He was the negotiating man between Narendra Modi Murli Manohar Joshi and LK Advani.
Born on 1oth July, 1951 in Uttar Pradesh Rajnath Singh is the current home minister of India. In the year of 2000 he was elected as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. Rajnath Singh has been a right wing candidate and also the leader of youth wing in the past. His calm mind and controversy free political career gives up a fillip in his long political journey. Read More about him.
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