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Amit Shah

About Amit Shah

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Who is Amit Shah

A businessman-turned-politician and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, Amit Shah became the Union home minister in the second term of the Narendra Modi-led central government. Also referred to as the 'Chanakya' of modern Indian politics, Shah, a close aide of Modi's, has been credited with leading the BJP to victory in several elections as the party's president. Shah put his political acumen to use on a pan-Indian basis even before donning the mantle of the BJP president. Since Modi took charge as the prime minister of India during his first term, no politician in the country has been considered taller than Shah, after the PM himself. Since 1989, Amit Shah has fought 29 elections, including various local body polls, and not lost any to this day. Shah was elected as an MLA from Gujarat’s Sarkhej in four consecutive elections — 1997 (by-election), 1998, 2002 and 2007. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Shah contested from Gandhinagar, a seat previously held by BJP veteran Lal Krishna Advani, and won it comprehensively. He defeated his nearest rival Dr C J Chavda of the Indian National Congress by a margin of 557,014. Shah received 69.67% of the votes cast in this constituency.   Shah has been associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) since childhood. He first met Narendra Modi in 1982 through Ahmedabad RSS circles. During Narendra Modi's 12-year tenure as the Gujarat CM, Shah emerged as one of the most powerful leaders in the state. After winning the 2002 state elections, he became the youngest minister in the Modi-led Gujarat government, and was given multiple portfolios. At one time, he held 12 portfolios — home, law and justice, prison, border security, civil defence, excise, transport, prohibition, home guards, gram rakshak dal, police housing, and legislative and parliamentary affairs.   Known as a master strategist, Shah, along with Modi, assured BJP victories in several state elections after the BJP’s landslide Lok Sabha elections win in 2014. And, they topped up their success with a thumping victory in Lok Sabha elections 2019, in which the BJP saw its biggest individual seat tally ever, of 303.   Under Shah's leadership, the BJP achieved success in Legislative Assembly elections in Maharashtra, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand and Assam from 2014 to 2016, but lost the elections in Delhi, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. He led the party towards a landslide victory in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Gujarat, and marked the party's strong debut in Manipur, but the Akali-BJP alliance lost power in Punjab. Come 2019, however, the party lost the state elections in Jharkhand, and failed to form governments in Maharashtra and Haryana. In January 2020, Shah was succeeded as the BJP president by Jagat Prakash Nadda.

Latest Updates on Amit Shah

He said border areas are the top priority of the Modi Government, pointing to the infrastructure and other development works carried out in the Northeast

Updated On: 12 Apr 2023 | 4:47 PM IST

Amit Shah will launch the 'Vibrant Villages Programme' (VVP) in Kibithoo, a border village in Arunachal Pradesh

Updated On: 10 Apr 2023 | 8:26 AM IST

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Updated On: 10 Apr 2023 | 6:26 PM IST

The home minister will also interact with ITBP personnel at Kibithoo in Anjaw district of Arunachal Pradesh

Updated On: 08 Apr 2023 | 3:04 PM IST

K T Rama Rao wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah demanding that the test for the Central Reserve Police Force be conducted in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam and other official languages as well

Updated On: 07 Apr 2023 | 10:07 PM IST

Home Minister Amit Shah targeted opposition parties in Uttar Pradesh, recalling the terror tag attached to Azamgarh and claiming that rural UP got 24-hour electricity only during Ramzan

Updated On: 07 Apr 2023 | 8:53 PM IST

The Trinamool Congress on Friday accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of adopting double standards while addressing incidents of violence during Ram Navami in various states

Updated On: 07 Apr 2023 | 7:25 PM IST

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday mounted a blistering attack on the Congress saying "not democracy but autocracy of one family is in danger."

Updated On: 07 Apr 2023 | 4:24 PM IST

In a move expected to decongest the prisons, the Centre has decided to launch a special scheme to provide financial support to poor people languishing in jails

Updated On: 07 Apr 2023 | 3:48 PM IST

"The country will not forgive opposition parties for disrupting Parliament proceedings over Rahul Gandhi's disqualification

Updated On: 07 Apr 2023 | 2:56 PM IST

Shah will first travel to Kaushambi district where he will inaugurate the Kaushambi Festival-2023 and launch or lay foundation stone of various development projects at gram sabha Fasaiya

Updated On: 06 Apr 2023 | 3:44 PM IST

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday condoled the death of tourists in an avalanche in Sikkim and said the central government is closely monitoring the situation

Updated On: 04 Apr 2023 | 8:35 PM IST

Biman Ghosh, along with a number of police personnel including the officer-in-charge of Rishra police station, Piyali Biswas, were injured in the clashes

Updated On: 03 Apr 2023 | 12:42 PM IST

Retorting to the HM's remarks, Sibal put out data on Twitter citing National Crime Records Bureau and said that "communal riots" have taken place in states like UP and MP which are BJP-rule states

Updated On: 03 Apr 2023 | 10:01 AM IST

Shah alleged that Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar have practiced politics of appeasement which has helped terrorism flourish, while Modi has scrapped Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir

Updated On: 02 Apr 2023 | 5:05 PM IST

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday expressed concern over incidents of communal violence in Bihar, and spoke to Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar to take stock of the situation, sources said

Updated On: 02 Apr 2023 | 11:17 AM IST

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said that connectivity projects comprising road, rail and air worth Rs 1.76 lakh crore would be completed by 2025 in the northeastern region

Updated On: 01 Apr 2023 | 7:26 PM IST

"The imposition of Section 144 of CrPC in Sasaram is a clear indication that no large gatherings can take place. Hence, the Home Minister has cancelled his visit"

Updated On: 01 Apr 2023 | 2:15 PM IST

He is expected to arrive at Jay Prakash Narayan Airport in Patna around 6.30 pm and senior BJP leaders and Union ministers from Bihar will receive him, state party president Samrat Choudhary said

Updated On: 01 Apr 2023 | 12:57 PM IST

Shah will inaugurate the Assam Rifles battalion headquarters complex at Zokhawsang and the integrated command and control centre under the smart city limited

Updated On: 01 Apr 2023 | 10:30 AM IST