BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla hints at quitting active politics

Speculation is growing that Bharatiya Janata Party leader Shehzad Poonawalla might step away from active politics. On Thursday, the 38-year-old politician removed his official designation as national spokesperson from his X profile. His updated biography now reads, "Religion: Islam, Culture: Hindu, Ideology: Bhartiya. Author: GST Ki Yatra ; Lifelong follower of PM Narendra Modi." He shared a screenshot of this change, simply captioning it as his updated bio. Curiously, his Instagram account still lists him as a national spokesperson.

Shortly after changing his profile, he shared two older interview clips on social media. These videos, originally recorded on June 28 and July 9, feature him discussing alternative ways to contribute to society. In one segment, he stated that social service holds more importance than formal political roles. He also mentioned that he had considered leaving the field following the 2025 Lok Sabha elections.

Loyalty to Leadership and Future Plans

Poonawalla explained his decision to stay involved a bit longer in these throwback clips. He recalled seeing a viral video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi looking emotional after securing a third term. Knowing that crucial state elections were approaching in Bengal, Delhi, Maharashtra, and Haryana, he chose to remain and fight those battles to prove his party's strength. His plan was to step down only after those results. Taking charge of the Delhi social media wing in 2021, Poonawalla quickly became a familiar face defending his party on television debates. Before his rise in the ruling political faction, the lawyer and activist began his career with the Congress. He gained national attention in 2017 when he publicly challenged his former party over dynastic succession to favor Rahul Gandhi. Now, observers wait to see if this fiery debater will truly leave the political arena.