Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla has reportedly resigned from the party, according to sources. The 38-year-old is said to have submitted his resignation to the BJP leadership, citing personal reasons. An official announcement is expected shortly. Known for his sharp debating style and strong defence of the Narendra Modi government, Poonawalla has been one of the BJP’s most recognisable television panellists and social media voices in recent years. Interestingly, his bio on X now describes him as a “lifelong follower” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but no longer mentions the BJP, while his Instagram profile continues to identify him as the party’s National Spokesperson. (Facebook/@ShehzadPoonawallaOfficial)
Why Is Shehzad Poonawalla Leaving Politics? A day before reports of his resignation emerged, Shehzad Poonawalla reshared an earlier interview in which he revealed he had been considering stepping away from active politics. “I’ve been engaged in active politics for approximately 18-19 years. I started at such a young age and have now reached where I aspired to be,” he said. Poonawalla revealed that after Prime Minister Modi secured a third consecutive term in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he had initially planned to leave politics. However, he decided to remain active to help the BJP in key Assembly elections, including Delhi, Maharashtra and West Bengal. He added that he now believes the time has come to move on from active political life.
From Congress Leader To BJP Spokesperson: Before joining the BJP, Shehzad Poonawalla began his political career with the Indian National Congress in 2008. He quickly rose through the party ranks, serving as Vice-President of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) in Pune, member of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) Media Cell research team and Secretary in the Maharashtra Congress.
His political career took a dramatic turn in 2017, when he publicly challenged the Congress’s internal presidential election, alleging it had been “rigged” to ensure Rahul Gandhi’s elevation. He demanded a transparent and merit-based election, asking whether Rahul Gandhi would resign from his position and contest as an ordinary party member. The public rebellion led to his isolation within the Congress and eventually his exit from the party.
PM Modi’s Praise Became A Turning Point: During the 2017 Gujarat Assembly election campaign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly praised Shehzad Poonawalla for exposing what he described as the Congress’s lack of internal democracy. The endorsement reportedly marked a significant turning point in Poonawalla’s political career. Soon afterwards, he aligned himself with the BJP and was eventually appointed as one of the party’s National Spokespersons. Since then, he has become a familiar face on prime-time television debates, regularly defending the BJP’s policies and attacking the Opposition. (Facebook/@ShehzadPoonawallaOfficial)
Education And Professional Career: Born on October 17, 1987, in Pune, Maharashtra, Shehzad Poonawalla is a trained lawyer and civil rights activist. Before entering mainstream politics, he worked on legal and constitutional issues and was a petitioner in the 2013 National Commission for Minorities housing discrimination case, advocating against communal discrimination in housing. He has also written opinion articles for publications including The Indian Express, Mail Today and Hindustan Times, covering politics, governance, foreign policy and public affairs. (Facebook/@ShehzadPoonawallaOfficial)
Family Background: Shehzad Poonawalla was raised by his mother Yasmin Poonawalla after losing his father, businessman Sarfraz Poonawalla, at a young age. His elder brother, Tehseen Poonawalla, is a political commentator known for supporting the Congress. The two brothers were once close but became publicly estranged following Shehzad’s 2017 rebellion against the Congress leadership. The family also has links to the Gandhi-Vadra family through Tehseen Poonawalla’s marriage to Monica Vadra, a cousin of Robert Vadra.
Within the BJP, Shehzad Poonawalla established himself as one of the party’s most prominent English-language spokespersons. He regularly represented the BJP in high-profile televised political debates, where he defended the party’s position on a wide range of issues, including the Gandhi family’s alleged dynastic politics, constitutional and legal matters, minority affairs, national security, the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), the abolition of Triple Talaq, government welfare schemes and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.
He also coined the acronym “GITA” to describe Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s development vision, with each letter representing a key pillar of the government’s agenda: G for Growth, I for Infrastructure, T for Technology, and A for Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India). Poonawalla frequently uses the phrase during political debates and discussions on the government’s economic and development policies.
Controversies: Shehzad Poonawalla has remained at the centre of several political controversies throughout his career. His criticism of Rahul Gandhi and the Congress’s internal election process triggered a bitter public fallout with both the party and members of his own family. He also filed a defamation case against an AAP legislator after allegedly being wrongly linked to an unrelated criminal matter because of a shared surname. Earlier in 2026, Poonawalla claimed that his mother had been deliberately run over by a vehicle in Pune, an allegation that remains under investigation.
Public Image: Supporters view Shehzad Poonawalla as a politician who sacrificed his position within the Congress to challenge dynastic politics and pursue what he describes as a merit-based political system. Critics, however, see him as one of the BJP’s most aggressive political communicators. Regardless of political opinion, Poonawalla has built a reputation as one of India’s most recognisable television debaters, known for his legal background, detailed preparation and combative style. If reports of his resignation are confirmed, it would mark the end of an almost 19-year political career that saw him transform from a Congress insider into one of the BJP’s most prominent national spokespersons. (Facebook/@ShehzadPoonawallaOfficial)
