Nitin Gadkari is the new president of BJP. 52-year-old Gadkari, the youngest to occupy the post, has been unanimously appointed as the party chief by the BJP Parliamentary Board in New Delhi on Saturday. He succeeds Rajnath Singh, who had completed his tenure. The meeting attended by senior office bearers of the party at the party's headquarter also discussed several organisational issues. The Chief of Maharashtra State BJP proved his mettle as an effective minister in the Shiv Sena-BJP government in the state ten years back.<br/>The announcement of his appointment was made by Rajnath Singh at a press conference at the BJP headquarter in New Delhi. In a chat with the newspersons later, Nitin Gadkari said that he does not view politics as a career but as an instrument of socio-economic reforms to bring about a change in the lives of the poor and the downtrodden. He said that he would carry forward Nationalist approach of the party and due recognition will be given to dedicated workers. Senior leader L.K. Advani said Gadkari has the support and good wishes of the entire party.<br/>AIR Correspondent reports that the BJP was effecting a generational change in its hierarchy. On Friday Ms. Sushma Swaraj was appointed as the leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, while veteran party leader L.K. Advani was made the Chairman of the party's Parliamentary Board. The Board had amended the party's constitution to create the new post of the Chairman. After elevation of Sushma Swaraj as leader of the opposition, the post of Deputy leader in Lok Sabha has fallen vacant and lobbying for the post has begun in the party. Similarly, after resignation of Jaswant Singh as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, names of several senior party MPs are doing rounds for consideration.