India, Dec. 21 -- The Bharatiya Janata Party's newly appointed president Nitin Nabin, has been granted complete organisational and political autonomy by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, a move that clearly signals the top leadership's intent to frustrate him from pressure exerted by senior leaders and entrenched power centres within the party.

In the week following his appointment, Nabin was explicitly assured by both Modi and Shah that he should not come under any pressure from senior leaders or "big names" while taking organisational decisions. Shah, according to people familiar with the conversations, told Nabin to approach him directly if he faced any resistance or interference. The message was conveyed...