‘Crown of Thorns’: 3 Big Challenges Await JP Nadda as New BJP Prez

Jagat Prakash Nadda, popularly known as JP Nadda, has been unanimously appointed the new BJP president. It is not so much a coronation for JP Nadda as it is a crown of thorns that he has to now wear.

Nationwide, CAA protests, saffronisation of India's map, growing anger over unemployment, inflation, the upcoming Assembly polls are just some of the challenges before the new president of the ruling party at the Centre.

Here are the top three challenges that will need Nadda's immediate attention as the BJP president.

Challenge 1: CAA Unrest

The BJP government at the Centre is currently facing massive protests from the Opposition and the youth over CAA, NRC and NPR. Meanwhile, pro-CAA rallies held under the leadership of JP Nadda have failed to gather momentum.

Muslim women whose support the BJP won after the Triple Talaq law are now at the forefront of several anti-CAA protests across the country.

Hence, the first challenge ahead of JP Nadda would be to ensure that the anger against CAA does not adversely affect BJP's vote bank.

Challenge 2: Economic Slowdown, Unemployment

The BJP has been on the back-foot over economic slowdown and unemployment for quite some time now. NSO has predicted a GDP growth of only 5 percent in the current financial year, which could be the lowest GDP growth since the 2008 recession. Massive layoffs in big companies are making headlines every day.

In such a situation, Nadda will have to work hard to maintain the number of missed calls by members on BJP's toll-free number.

Challenge 3: Upcoming Assembly Elections

JP Nadda has been handed the party's command right before the Delhi elections. Delhi elections will be followed by Assembly polls in Bihar in 2020 and Assembly polls in West Bengal in 2021. These elections will pose a tough challenge for the BJP, especially because in 2019, the BJP has lost crucial states like Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Jharkhand.

From ABVP Member to National President

A graduate from Patna University and and the son of Narayan Lal, a former VC of the same university, Nadda has had a remarkable journey from being an ABVP member in 1978 to becoming the BJP’s national president in 2020. Nadda did his LLB from Himachal Pradesh University.

Nadda was first elected to the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly in 1993 and was subsequently re-elected in 1998. He was the Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Parliamentary Affairs.

Nadda was elected for another term in 2007 and was inducted as a cabinet minister but stepped down in 2010 following a reported fallout with then CM Prem Dhumal. A member of the Rajya Sabha twice, in 2012 and 2018, Nadda has been a union minister in PM Modi's cabinet since 2014.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, JP Nadda kept a low-profile but played a very crucial role in BJP's victory.

Considering the unprecedented expansion of the BJP during his predecessor Amit Shah’s tenure as the party president, Nadda’s biggest challenge now is to keep the party together.

Also, things were streamlined within the BJP because of the equation that Modi and Shah shared. But with Nadda now officially taking over, he may still have to toe Modi and Shah's line.