Amit Shah: The architect of BJP's electoral success

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Amit Shah, often referred to as the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's) Chanakya, has played a pivotal role in shaping and executing the party's successful electoral strategies. As he celebrates his 59th birthday, Amit Shah stands as one of the most influential figures in Indian politics, second only to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Born on October 22, 1964, in Mumbai into a well-off Gujarati family, Amit Shah received his early education in his ancestral village of Mansa, Gujarat, before relocating with his family to Ahmedabad.

In the 1980s, at the age of 16, Amit Shah was inspired by the ideals of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and joined its student wing, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). His unwavering dedication led to his appointment as the joint secretary of the Gujarat unit of ABVP. Following his graduation in biochemistry, Shah initially entered his family's PVC pipe manufacturing business.

His journey as a political activist took flight in 1987 when he became a member of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM). However, it was his alliance with Narendra Modi in the early 1990s that marked a significant turning point in his political career.

In 1995, Narendra Modi persuaded then-Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel to appoint Amit Shah as the chairman of the Gujarat State Finance Corporation. Shah retained this influential post even when his mentor Modi faced exile as part of a peace agreement between the BJP leadership and the rebel Shankarsinh Vaghela.

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Subsequent to Narendra Modi's resounding victory in the Gujarat assembly elections in 2002, Amit Shah was bestowed with a portfolio that included home affairs, law and justice, housing, parliamentary affairs, border security, and prisons.

Upon the BJP's triumph in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Amit Shah assumed the role of the party's national president. At the age of 49, he became the youngest national president of the BJP. Shah's reputation as a Chanakya was solidified as he led the party to electoral victories in Uttar Pradesh and at the national level in 2019.

Under Amit Shah's leadership, the BJP continued its winning streak in state assembly polls following the massive success of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. During his tenure as party president, the BJP secured victories in states such as Maharashtra, Haryana, Jharkhand, Assam, Tripura, and Uttar Pradesh, establishing an unparalleled record.