Lucknow: After weeks of speculation, the Bharatiya Janata Party has finally announced the dates for the election of its Uttar Pradesh president. Nomination papers will be filed on December 13 between 1 pm and 2 pm, while the voting process will take place on December 14. Elections for members of the national council from Uttar Pradesh will also be held during this period.
Election officer and former Union minister Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey said the process will be conducted in the presence of senior national leaders. He said BJP national general secretary and central election observer Vinod Tawde will arrive in Lucknow on Saturday and nomination papers for the state president’s post will be accepted in his presence. The election on December 14 will be held under the supervision of Union minister Piyush Goyal, who has been appointed the central election officer.
The party has called all major leaders, MPs, MLAs and around 400 members of the state council to Lucknow. Only state council members are eligible to vote in the election of the state president. Party workers are keenly watching the developments, and there is widespread interest in who will take charge ahead of the 2027 assembly elections. Leaders believe the new president must be someone who can ensure strong coordination between the organisation and the government.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, along with senior organisational leaders, are likely to be the proposers during the nomination process. Sources say the national leadership has prioritised organisational strength, grassroots connect and broad acceptability while finalising potential names.
Speculation is rife that the party may once again choose a leader from the OBC or Dalit community. According to insiders, the leadership is considering someone with long organisational experience and a strong working relationship with the government. Names doing the rounds include Jal Shakti minister Swatantra Dev Singh, former MLC Vidyasagar Sonkar, Union minister Pankaj Chaudhary, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, minister Dharampal Singh and Union minister BL Verma.
Adding to the buzz, outgoing state BJP president Bhupendra Chaudhary met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on Thursday, triggering fresh speculation about the impending change in the state unit.
