This Article is From Jul 09, 2014

Modi Confidante Amit Shah Could Be Named BJP President Today

Modi Confidante Amit Shah Could Be Named BJP President Today

Amit Shah, a close associate of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, could be named the new president of the BJP today after a meeting of the top decision-makers of the ruling party. (File photo)

New Delhi: Amit Shah, a close associate of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, could be named the new president of the BJP today after a meeting of the top decision-makers of the ruling party. (Also Read: Amit Shah Gets Z+ Category Security)

With assembly elections due in Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand, the source said Shah had emerged the front-runner vis-a-vis colleagues such as JP Nadda and Om Prakash Mathur.

Mr Shah, 50, if picked for the post, will succeed Rajnath Singh, now the Home Minister in union government. (Also Read: BJP Intensifies Search For Next Party President)

In the national elections in May, Mr Shah, engineered a massive victory for the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, India's largest state, delivering 71 of the state's 80 parliamentary seats. (Narendra Modi Praises Aide Amit Shah)

Mr Modi was Chief Minister of Gujarat, Mr Shah served as his Home Minister, but had to resign in 2010 after he was alleged to have sanctioned a fake encounter by the state police, which saw three Muslims being killed by officers who alleged they were terrorists planning to assassinate Mr Modi. (Ishrat Jahan case: Court Dismisses Plea Against Amit Shah)

Mr Shah faces murder charges for allowing the extra-judicial killing of Sohrabuddin Sheikh, a small-time criminal, his wife and a witness.

Mr Shah, currently a general secretary of the BJP, says the murder charges are a political conspiracy.

During the campaign for the national election, Mr Shah was banned by the powerful Election Commission from rallies and speeches after it found him guilty of delivering "hate speeches" designed to promote "hatred and ill will" between religions. (Also Read: Outrage Over Modi Aide Amit Shah's Comment)

The ban was lifted after Mr Shah vowed in writing that he would not he promised not to "use abusive or derogatory language in the campaign". (Also Read: How Amit Shah Delivered Uttar Pradesh For the BJP)

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