UP assembly polls 2017: Rise of Amit Shah, from RSS volunteer to BJP president

Shah has been busy campaigning for the BJP in the upcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh. Shah, during one of his rallies recently said that the Samajwadi party feud was created to divert attention.

Shah, who has been seeking votes for the BJP has left no stone unturned for the upcoming elections. Here is a look at his profile:

Date of birth: October 22, 1964

Education: Shah has a Bachelor's Degree in Bio-Chemistry from CU Shah Science College, Ahmedabad.

Political career: Shah became a member of the RSS at the age of four, where he used to attend the local shakhas and later on became a volunteer during his college days. He met Narendra Modi in 1982 when Modi was a RSS Pracharak.

• Shah officially joined the BJP in 1986.
• Even as Shah continued to rise within the party ranks, he campaigned for LK Advani during the 1991 General elections from Gandhinagar.
• Amit Shah became the Minister of State during Modi government in Gujarat, holding portfolios like transport, housing, police, and more.
• Shah played a crucial role during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections where BJP won a massive majority. Following BJP's win, he was appointed as the party president , replacing Rajnath Singh.

Controversies:

Amit Shah has had his share of controversies after his name cropped up in the Sohrabuddin Fake encounter and Ishrat Jehan encounter case. During the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots, it was alleged that Shah had tried to polarise the voters in UP.