Bharatiya Janata Party

Bharatiya Janata Party
Name	Bharatiya Janata Party
Native name	भारतीय जनता पार्टी
Abbreviation	BJP
Leader	J. P. Nadda
President	J. P. Nadda
Founder	Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishna Advani
Foundation	6 April 1980
Headquarters	6-A, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg, New Delhi
Ideology	Integral humanism, Hindutva, Conservatism, Nationalism
Position	Right-wing
Alliance	National Democratic Alliance
Colours	Saffron
Seats1 title	Lok Sabha
Seats1	240, 543
Seats2 title	Rajya Sabha
Seats2	93, 245

Bharatiya Janata Party. The Bharatiya Janata Party is one of the two major political parties in India, alongside the Indian National Congress. Founded in 1980, it is the principal member of the National Democratic Alliance and has been the dominant ruling party at the national level since 2014 under the leadership of Narendra Modi. Its ideological foundation is rooted in Hindutva, a form of Hindu nationalism, and it advocates for Integral humanism, a philosophy articulated by Deendayal Upadhyaya.

History

The party's origins trace back to the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, founded in 1951 by Syama Prasad Mukherjee, which merged into the Janata Party coalition in 1977. Following the dissolution of the Janata Party, former Jana Sangh members, led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Lal Krishna Advani, established the new party in 1980. It initially struggled for electoral success but gained significant momentum in the late 1980s and early 1990s, particularly through the Ram Janmabhoomi movement centered on Ayodhya. The party first led a national government for 13 days in 1996, then from 1998 to 2004 under Atal Bihari Vajpayee as Prime Minister. After a decade in opposition, it achieved a decisive victory in the 2014 Indian general election, a mandate repeated in the 2019 Indian general election and the 2024 Indian general election.

Ideology and political positions

The party's core ideology is Hindutva, as defined by early thinkers like Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, which promotes cultural nationalism and views India as a primarily Hindu civilization. This is coupled with a commitment to Integral humanism, which emphasizes the organic unity of society. Its political positions are generally right-wing, advocating for a Uniform Civil Code, the abrogation of Article 370 concerning Jammu and Kashmir, a strong national defense posture, and economic policies that have shifted from Swadeshi to a mix of economic liberalization and welfare state initiatives. It maintains a longstanding association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

Organizational structure

The party operates under a hierarchical structure with the National President, currently J. P. Nadda, at its apex. Key decision-making bodies include the National Executive and the Parliamentary Board. Its organizational strength is derived from a vast network of members and affiliates within the larger Sangh Parivar family of organizations, such as the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh. The party is organized into state units, district committees, and local mandals, mirroring the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's model.

Electoral performance

The party's first major national success was winning 85 seats in the 1991 Indian general election. It formed the National Democratic Alliance and secured a plurality in the 1998 and 1999 elections, leading to stable governments. After losing the 2004 and 2009 elections to the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance, it achieved a historic landslide under Narendra Modi in 2014, securing a single-party majority in the Lok Sabha for the first time. This performance was bolstered in 2019, and it remained the largest party in the 2024 elections. It also holds power in numerous states including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat.

Leadership

Prominent historical leaders include founding figures Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the first Prime Minister from the party, and Lal Krishna Advani, a former Deputy Prime Minister. Narendra Modi, the current Prime Minister, has been the party's most dominant electoral figure since 2014, having previously served as Chief Minister of Gujarat. Other key leaders have included Murli Manohar Joshi, Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj, and Amit Shah, who served as party president and is a key strategist. The current organizational leadership is under J. P. Nadda.

Government and policies

In government, the party has implemented several signature policies. Major initiatives include the 2016 Indian banknote demonetisation, the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax, the revocation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, and the construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Its foreign policy, often termed the Modi doctrine, has focused on strengthening ties with the United States, Japan, and Israel, while taking a firm stance on issues like the India–China border dispute. Economic policies have included flagship welfare schemes like Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, Ayushman Bharat Yojana, and a push for infrastructure development and Make in India.

Category:Bharatiya Janata Party Category:Political parties in India Category:1980 establishments in India