Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who handed over the presidentship of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to JP Nadda on Monday (January 20), said that under his successor's leadership the party will become stronger and expand further.

Narendra Modi
PM Modi congratulates BJP National President JP Nadda at a felicitation programme organised for the latter at the BJP Headquarters in New Delhi on Jan 20, 2020.IANS

Taking to Twitter, Shah said, "Heartiest congratulations to JP Nadda Ji on being elected the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party. I firmly believe that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji's guidance and your leadership, the BJP will become stronger and expand even further."

Nadda was elected unopposed as the BJP national president after he emerged as the only leader in the fray following the nomination process in which his candidature was endorsed by top party brass.

In a series of tweets, Shah also said that the party will benefit from Nadda organizational skills and his experience and will set new records. Under Nadda's leadership, all BJP workers will continue to walk on the organization's path, he said.

PM Modi's wishes Nadda

Setting the tone for Nadda's tenure, Modi said, it's 'sangharsh' (fight) and 'sangathan' (organisation) that make BJP what it is today. "We're not here for a short while, we're here to serve Mother India for a long time," he said.

But the comparison with Shah was unavoidable. "The BJP has expanded in a short time, fulfilling people's aspirations and transforming itself with time," said Modi, crediting Shah for the achievements.

He wished Nadda with a tinge of caution. "I'm sure under the leadership of JP Nadda, the party will move forward with its core values. The BJP may face more difficulty in the future and we must be ready." Modi was subtly referring to the ongoing opposition to Citizen's Amendment Act, without naming it.

Talking about the "current situation", Modi lashed out at "traditional medium of communication", referring to mainstream media. He urged the party to exploit "new medium" where one can talk to the electorate one-to-one, referring to apps like Twitter where he is one of the most followed world leaders.

"Those who have been rejected in electoral politics are left with very few options -- spreading falsehood and amplifying that through its ecosystem," is how he hit out at the opposition for its stand on CAA, without naming the legislation.

He urged the party cadre to go door-to-door to convey the party's position and not rely on "traditional medium of communication."

(With agency inputs)