Rijiju Lists Top NDA Leaders at #ApnapanBook Event
Synopsis
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju named former Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, ex-PM H. D. Devegowda, nine Union Cabinet colleagues and three chief ministers as attendees at the #ApnapanBook event on 26 May 2026, showcasing broad NDA coalition presence.
Key Takeaways
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju posted details of the #ApnapanBook event on 26 May 2026 .
Former Vice President M.
Venkaiah Naidu (2017–2022) and former Prime Minister H.
Devegowda (1996–1997) were among the distinguished guests.
Nine Union Cabinet ministers attended, including Ashwini Vaishnaw , Chirag Paswan , Jyotiraditya Scindia , Manohar Lal Khattar , and Giriraj Singh .
Chief Ministers Pushkar Singh Dhami (Uttarakhand), Dr.
Mohan Yadav (Madhya Pradesh), and Rekha Gupta (Delhi) also participated.
The gathering reflects the NDA coalition's cross-party, cross-regional character under the BJP-led central government.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday, 26 May 2026 shared details of a high-profile gathering that brought together former constitutional heads, Union Cabinet ministers, and chief ministers under the banner of the #ApnapanBook event. The post, shared on X, named over a dozen senior NDA leaders who attended the function.
Context
In his post, Rijiju listed the attendees in two groups. The first comprised former constitutional dignitaries and Union Cabinet colleagues: 'भारत के पूर्व उपराष्ट्रपति' (former Vice President of India) M. Venkaiah Naidu and 'भारत के पूर्व प्रधानमंत्री' (former Prime Minister of India) H. D. Devegowda were specifically honoured with the prefix 'माननीय' (Honourable). Rijiju described his Cabinet colleagues — Ashwini Vaishnaw, Chirag Paswan, Mansukh Mandaviya, C. R. Patil, H. D. Kumaraswamy, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, Manohar Lal Khattar, and Giriraj Singh — as 'केंद्रीय कैबिनेट में मेरे साथी' (my colleagues in the Union Cabinet).
The second group of guests included three chief ministers: Pushkar Singh Dhami of Uttarakhand, Dr. Mohan Yadav of Madhya Pradesh, and Rekha Gupta, Chief Minister of Delhi. Union Ministers of State and several other dignitaries also attended.
Policy Backdrop
M. Venkaiah Naidu served as Vice President of India from 2017 to 2022 and has remained a prominent voice in public discourse on parliamentary culture and national unity. H. D. Devegowda, who served as Prime Minister from 1996 to 1997, leads the Janata Dal (Secular) and represents a significant regional partner within the broader NDA framework.
The presence of Jyotiraditya Scindia, who crossed over from the Congress to the BJP in 2020, and H. D. Kumaraswamy, whose JD(S) is a key southern ally, underlines the coalition character of the ruling dispensation. Such gatherings serve as visible demonstrations of NDA cohesion across party and regional lines.
Stakeholders and Impact
The event drew participation from ministers holding critical portfolios: Ashwini Vaishnaw oversees Railways, Communications, and Electronics and IT, while Mansukh Mandaviya and Chirag Paswan represent key constituencies in western and eastern India respectively. The attendance of three chief ministers — from Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Delhi — elevates the event beyond a routine ministerial function.
The #ApnapanBook hashtag anchoring the event suggests a cultural or literary theme, positioning the gathering as a platform that blends political networking with a broader public outreach initiative.
What's Next
Further details on the nature, authorship, and content of the ApnapanBook are awaited. Any follow-up statements from the participating chief ministers or Union ministers on themes associated with the book could shape the event's public narrative in the days ahead. The cross-coalition character of the gathering may also prompt similar outreach events in other states as the NDA continues to consolidate its organisational presence.
Point of View
Bringing former constitutional heads alongside serving ministers and chief ministers in a single frame. The inclusion of H. D. Devegowda — a regional patriarch from Karnataka — alongside Delhi CM Rekha Gupta and Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami signals deliberate geographic and generational optics. For Rijiju, publicly cataloguing the attendee list on X amplifies the event's reach well beyond the room, reinforcing his own standing as an organiser of pan-NDA convening power. The event fits a wider pattern of the ruling coalition using non-parliamentary platforms to sustain inter-party relationships and public visibility between electoral cycles.
NationPress
5 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who attended the ApnapanBook event mentioned by Kiren Rijiju?
The event was attended by former Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, former Prime Minister H. D. Devegowda, nine Union Cabinet ministers including Ashwini Vaishnaw and Jyotiraditya Scindia, and chief ministers of Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi.
What is the ApnapanBook event?
The #ApnapanBook event is a gathering flagged by Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on 26 May 2026 with a cultural or literary theme; full details of the book's authorship and content have not yet been officially disclosed.
Who is Kiren Rijiju?
Kiren Rijiju is a senior BJP leader from Arunachal Pradesh who currently serves as Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minister of Minority Affairs in the Modi government.
Was H. D. Devegowda at the ApnapanBook event?
Yes, former Prime Minister H. D. Devegowda, who served as India's Prime Minister from 1996 to 1997 and leads the Janata Dal (Secular), was listed by Rijiju as a distinguished guest at the event.
Which chief ministers attended the ApnapanBook function?
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami of Uttarakhand, Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav of Madhya Pradesh, and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta attended the function as guests.
