NEW DELHI: Amit Shah, a close and controversial aide of Modi, was appointed the president of the Bharatiya Janata Party marking Gujarat's firm grip over the ruling dispensation after Narendra Modi's elevation as Prime Minister.
SHah, who delivered crucial Uttar Pradesh to the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections, was appointed to the top post in the party at a meeting of Parliamentary Board where incumbent Rajnath Singh resigned after a tenure of one-and-a-half years.
The former Minister of State for Home in Gujarat and who faces charges in the Sohrabuddin fake encounter case is largely credited for BJP's stunning performance in UP where it got 71 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats.
The meeting was attended among others by Modi, senior leaders L K Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, M Venkaiah Naidu, Nitin Gadkari and Sushma Swaraj.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who had to table the pre-Budget Economic Survey in Lok Sabha, joined the press conference where the announcement was made by Singh before all these leaders.
"From now and now on, Amit Shah will be the president of the BJP and lead the party. His appointment was asp proved unanimously," Rajnath said flanked by Modi and other leaders.
Shortly after the announcement, Modi and Rajnth offered sweets to Shah while other leaders including Advani, Joshi, Swaraj and Jaitley gave him bouquets.