Narendra Modi has political experience spanning more than 40 years in Indian politics. He served as the Chief Minister of Gujarat for around 13 years before becoming the Prime Minister of India in 2014. Since 2014, he has set a milestone in Indian political history by becoming the second prime minister to be elected continuously for three tenures (from 2014 to 2029). By the next General (Lok Sabha) Elections, he will be 78 years old, and as per the BJP ecosystem, he would be considered too old to serve another tenure in 2029, making it possible that a new face will be the candidate for Prime Minister after Narendra Modi.
In this article, we have shortlisted 10 candidates who could replace Narendra Modi or become a new face for the Prime Minister in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. The list was prepared after conducting an in-depth analysis of popularity, Prime Minister selection approaches, and other factors, not only for the BJP but also for other political parties, including Congress and their alliances.
Top 10 Political leaders who can replace Narendra Modi:
1. Yogi Adityanath
Yogi Adityanath is a hardcore representative of Hinduism and Sanatan Dharma, backed by the RSS, VHP, and other Hindu organisations. He is known for his bold, aggressive, and swift action against the mafia, goons, mining mafia, public land grabbers, and anyone who takes the law into their own hands. As Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, he successfully cleaned up the state from mafias and goons, and his name alone is enough to scare them off. He left his family and became a monk, later emerging as a political personality, which is why people call him “Baba Ji“. Narendra Modi and Yogi Adityanath share a common ideology, lifestyle, and family values, except that Yogi is vocal about his actions, whereas Modi is considered a silent leader known for doing things without publicising them. He has an excellent record in elections, having been elected as a Member of Parliament five times from the Gorakhpur constituency.
Under his leadership, illegal slaughterhouses were shut down, and the Anti-Romeo Squad was formed to safeguard women from eve-teasers. He imposed a ban on tobacco, pan, and gutkha in government offices throughout Uttar Pradesh under the Swachh Bharat Mission. Furthermore, under his leadership, Uttar Pradesh became one of the best places to invest, attracting many IT and mobile manufacturing companies to set up their hubs in the state, with the biggest being Samsung’s manufacturing plant.
Like Narendra Modi, he shares a similar vision, mission, and objective of making India a global leader in development, employment, and education while improving GDP. He focuses on creating more opportunities for self-reliance and empowering individuals to become job providers instead of job seekers.
- Highest Education: Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.)
- University: Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University
- Birth City: Pauri, Uttar Pradesh (now in Uttarakhand)
- Career before Politics: Hindu monk, Mahant of Gorakhnath Math
2. Amit Shah
Amit Shah is also known as the Chanakya of present political affairs and is known for taking bold actions, including his significant contribution to the removal of Article 370 from Jammu & Kashmir and the introduction and implementation of Bharatiya Suraksha Sanhita, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Sanhita. The list of his contributions is remarkable. Shah is very close to Narendra Modi, and both share a similar ideology, but compared to Narendra Modi, Amit Shah is known for his aggressive actions, similar to Yogi Adityanath.
His status in his party, BJP, is second in position, but it is well known that RSS and VHP both assist BJP in elections and the selection of political leaders, and as a result, most political leaders, including Shah, made their way to BJP through RSS. Compared to Yogi Adityanath, Shah is not as influenced or backed by RSS and VHP, which is why we have listed Amit Shah in the second position as the second face of the PM after Modi.
The pairing of Modi and Shah proves to be very effective during the election period, and due to their remarkable combination, BJP secures a huge majority. Many times, even when it did not achieve a majority, Shah played Chanakyaniti in forming coalition governments in several states.
- Highest Education: Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.)
- University: Gujarat University
- Birth City: Mumbai, Maharashtra
- Career before Politics: Businessman (Ran a PVC pipe business), RSS Volunteer
3. Jagat Prakash Nadda
J.P. Nadda came into the limelight when Amit Shah became the Home Minister of India, handing over BJP’s presidency to J.P. Nadda. As the president of BJP, J.P. Nadda played a major role in the BJP government in many states of India, including a significant contribution to winning the 2024 General (Lok Sabha) elections. Under J.P. Nadda’s leadership as the serving president of party, the BJP was able to win the 2025 NCT of Delhi Vidhan Sabha elections with a majority after 27 years.
Although the credit goes to Yogi, Modi, and Amit Shah for delivering their message and convincing the people of Delhi to vote in favour of BJP, according to political analysts, by winning the Delhi Vidhan Sabha election, BJP brought the Aam Aadmi Party to the brink of extinction. In this election, not only did the Aam Aadmi Party lose, but its convener, Arvind Kejriwal, was also defeated by a huge margin. J.P. Nadda and Shah both have a strong hold on the party and the party workers, and both know how to utilize resources during election campaigns. Nadda’s popularity among the common people of India is lower compared to Yogi and Shah, which is why we have placed him in the third position as the next potential face for the Prime Minister of India.
- Highest Education: Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.)
- University: Himachal Pradesh University
- School: St. Xavier’s School, Patna
- Birth City: Patna, Bihar
- Career before Politics: Student Leader, ABVP Activist
4. Rajnath Singh
Rajnath Singh entered politics in the early 1970s and joined Bharatiya Janata Sangh, which is now Bharatiya Janata Party. In 1977, he was first elected to the Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha and became an MLA. In the 1990s, he was appointed as the state president of BJP for Uttar Pradesh, and when BJP came to power at the centre under the leadership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he was appointed as the Union Minister for Agriculture.
Later, from 2000 to 2002, he became the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. During his tenure, he focused on infrastructure development and improving law and order in the state but could not complete the tenure due to instability.
As a party member, Rajnath Singh contributed a lot, including holding the post of BJP National President three times. Under his leadership, BJP came to power at the centre, and Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister of India in 2014. Under the leadership of Narendra Modi, he served as the Home Minister of India from 2014 to 2019.
Later, when BJP came to power at the centre for the third term in 2019, he was appointed as the Defence Minister of India. Under his leadership, the Indian Air Force conducted an airstrike on Pakistan.
He is very soft-spoken and, unlike Amit Shah, Yogi, and Nadda, he is not a very aggressive politician but is known for taking bold actions to safeguard Indian territories.
- Highest Education: Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Physics
- University: Gorakhpur University
- Birth City: Chandauli, Uttar Pradesh
- Career before Politics: Lecturer (Physics Teacher)
5. Nitin Gadkari
Nitin Gadkari made his way into politics and joined BJP through RSS. For the first time, he was appointed as the General Secretary of the Mumbai BJP in the 1980s. In 2004, he was appointed as the president of BJP for Maharashtra, and under his leadership as president, he worked hard to strengthen the party in Maharashtra.
He was first elected as an MLA from the Nagpur South-West constituency, where the headquarters of RSS is situated; after which, he served as Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways. Later, from 2009 to 2013, he was appointed as the National BJP President.
In 2014, when BJP won the Lok Sabha elections, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he was appointed as the Union Minister for the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. Later, in the second and third terms, he was made Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways. Under his leadership, India made several historical world records in the field of transportation infrastructure building. He is a very honest politician among all the politicians in India and has a good relationship with almost every politician in India. His main focus is on green energy and making India rapidly switch to EVs and green energy-based vehicles.
- Highest Education: Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.), M.Com.
- University: Nagpur University
- Birth City: Nagpur, Maharashtra
- Career before Politics: Businessman, Social Worker
6. Rahul Gandhi
- Highest Education: Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) in Development Studies*
- University: Trinity College, Cambridge*
- School: The Doon School, Dehradun*
- Birth City: New Delhi, India
- Career before Politics: Management Consultant at the Monitor Group in London; Founder of Backops Services Private Ltd in Mumbai
Rahul Gandhi entered politics in 2004 and was elected from Amethi (Uttar Pradesh). He has seen several generations of his family serve a major role in Indian politics. His family has a long political history, which is also full of controversies. In the Congress party, it has been seen as a continuous pattern that only a member of the Gandhi family can become the Prime Minister, which is why Congress didn’t make or even attempt to make Rahul Gandhi the Chief Minister of any state where Congress is in power. For the Congress party, their family is everything, and their approach is to keep the highest leadership within the family. Even if someone else from the Congress party holds any senior post, as in the case of Dr. Manmohan Singh, it was seen that Rahul Gandhi’s mother, Sonia Gandhi, used to take major political decisions. This is why BJP and other opponents referred to him as a puppet or stamp Prime Minister.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Congress and almost all the major regional political parties formed an alliance named I.N.D.I.A to defeat BJP, but they badly failed.
Rahul Gandhi and Congress party have seen major defeats since 2014 at both the state and central levels. Within the span of 9 years, Congress lost several state elections, and BJP was able to form governments even in those states where BJP had never won a single seat or couldn’t win state elections for a long time, such as in the NCT of Delhi Vidhan Sabha elections. Although AAP and Congress were in coalition during the 2024 General Elections and contested against BJP, in the Delhi Vidhan Sabha elections, Congress chose to contest independently, and this became the major reason for the defeat of AAP, Arvind Kejriwal, and the victory of BJP.
Suppose Congress comes into power by defeating BJP, which will be very tough for them, but if somehow, they are able to form a government at the centre with the help of regional parties, then Rahul Gandhi will be the face of the PM from the Congress party and its alliances.
7. Piyush Goyal
Piyush Goyal made his way into politics and BJP through RSS in the 1980s. For the first time in his political journey, he was appointed as the National Treasurer of BJP in 1999. Later, in 2002, he was elected as a member of Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra, and when BJP lost power in 2004, he was made the National BJP Spokesperson from 2004-2008. In 2008-2009, he became the National General Secretary of the party, and from 2010 until 2014, he held the position of BJP spokesperson for the Energy Department.
Later, when the BJP came to power in 2014, he was appointed as Minister of State (Independent charge) for Power, Coal, New and Renewable Energy.
In 2017, he was given the role of Union Cabinet Minister and assumed charge of the Ministry of Railways and the Ministry of Coal.
After the 2019 General Elections, and under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, he continued as Union Minister of Railways, Minister of Commerce and Industry, and Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution.
Later, in the 2020s, he was given a role in the Cabinet as Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, and later his role was elevated to the rank of Minister of Commerce and Industry.
As a party member and minister of different departments, he has done tremendous work in improving railway infrastructure, power supply, and proper food distribution, and there won’t be any surprise if he is projected as the face of PM by BJP.
- Highest Education: Chartered Accountant (All India Rank 2); Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.)
- University: H.R. College of Commerce and Economics; Government Law College, Mumbai
- School: Don Bosco High School, Matunga
- Birth City: Mumbai, Maharashtra
- Career before Politics: Investment Banker; served on the boards of State Bank of India and Bank of Baroda
8. Anurag Thakur
Anurag Thakur contested from Hamirpur (Himachal Pradesh) Lok Sabha seat for the first time in 2008 and continued his family’s political legacy with the Bharatiya Janata Party. In 2014, when BJP came in power he was given several portfolios. From 2014-2024 he served as Minister of State for Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and also given independent charge for Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports. After 2024 General election he was given charge of Union Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs. Anurag Thakur is one of the youngest MP in BJP having good communication skills and delivering good results no matter whatever charge given to him.
- Highest Education: Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
- University: Doaba College, Jalandhar, Punjab
- School: Dayanand Model School, Jalandhar
- Birth City: Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh
- Career before Politics: Cricketer; played a Ranji Trophy match for Himachal Pradesh
9. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra entered politics in 2019, though she has been active behind the scenes for many years. She was appointed as the General Secretary for Eastern Uttar Pradesh by the Congress Party, and she actively campaigned in key constituencies.
While she often compared to her late grandmother, Indira Gandhi, for her similar look. Priyanka has focused on connecting with the common people, particularly in Uttar Pradesh.
Until 2024, her major focus was on Uttar Pradesh by in a dramatic she contested from Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency (Kerala). This came with no surprise as Congress party have strong hold and support in Wayanad and the reason when with the fear of defeat in 2019, Rahul Gandhi chose to contest from Amethi (UP) as well as Wayanad (Kerala) seats whereas he lost Amethi Lok Sabha seat to BJP candidate Smriti Irani.
In 2024 General Elections, Rahul Gandhi chose to contest from Wayanad (Kerala) as well as Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat which is supposed to be safe seats for Congress party, where he won from both the seats. Later, Rahul Gandhi withdrew from Wayanad and opted to keep Rae Bareli seat while Priyanka Gandhi contested from Wayanad and made way to Lok Sabha House.
In Congress party, after Rahul Gandhi she would be the face of PM since congress does not allow any outsider of their family for senior most positions specially and youth from the Congress party.
- Highest Education: Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Psychology, Master of Arts (M.A.) in Buddhist Studies
- University: University of Delhi
- School: Welham Girls’ School, Convent of Jesus and Mary (Delhi)
- Birth City: New Delhi
- Career before Politics: Nil
10. Akhilesh Yadav
Akhilesh Yadav is the head of one of the second biggest political parties in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party. In the 2024 General Elections, Samajwadi Party decided to join the I.N.D.I.A Alliance led by the Congress Party to defeat Narendra Modi and the BJP, but even after forming the biggest historical alliance in Indian political history, consisting of all the major regional political parties, they failed badly, and the BJP standalone secured 240 seats. Whereas Congress secured 99 votes and Samajwadi Party secured 33 seats, becoming the second largest party of the I.N.D.I.A alliance bloc. Political commentators started calling “Do ladkon ki jodi” (Duo of two boys) as an alternative to the slogan “Modi Yogi Ki Jodi” (Duo of Modi and Yogi). In the third term, Congress and Samajwadi Party together were able to give Rahul Gandhi, a leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha House.
Akhilesh Yadav is against the BJP, and his major targets in speeches are Yogi and Modi. Samajwadi Party, being the second biggest party of the I.N.D.I.A Alliance bloc, means that Akhilesh Yadav is given more priority by the Congress Party. Ayodhya Ram Mandir construction was one of the biggest agendas of the BJP, and Akhilesh Yadav was against it; unfortunately, the BJP lost the Faizabad (Ayodhya) Lok Sabha constituency, which was a major setback for the BJP, but in the 2025 Ayodhya bye-elections, the Samajwadi Party lost the seat, and the BJP won with a huge mandate.
As per BJP, Akhilesh Yadav and the Samajwadi Party are blamed for being anti-Hindu and favouring Muslims, and also for giving safe haven and harbouring mafia and goons, most of which have already been encountered during Yogi Adityanath’s tenure in Uttar Pradesh.India Today
- Highest Education: Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Environmental Engineering
- University: University of Sydney, Australia
- School: Seth M.R. Jaipuria School, Lucknow
- Birth City: Saifai, Uttar Pradesh
- Career before Politics: Nil
Astrisk (*) indicates that these facts have been challenged by several politicians and social workers, including Dr. Subramanian Swamy. According to him, Rahul Gandhi has never attended college or school.
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