Overhaul of BJP not an easy task in Uttar Pradesh
While the central leadership wants an overhaul to contain factionalism and internal conflicts, many in the BJP feel that it will not be an easy task, as the CM holds a massive influence on the state organisation as well
New Delhi: The organisational reshuffle in Uttar Pradesh BJP appears to have hit a major hurdle with the state chief minister Yogi Adityanath said to be pulling the strings. While the central leadership wants an overhaul to contain factionalism and internal conflicts, many in the BJP feel that it will not be an easy task, as the CM holds a massive influence on the state organisation as well.
Sources said the central leadership wants to overhaul the state unit, especially after the state unit was in the news for internal conflict and factionalism after the party’s "dismal" performance in the Lok Sabha polls last year. There were also reports of conflict between the CM and one of his deputy CMs over governance and organisation recently.
While the central leadership asserts coordination between the government and organisation, there is a growing view within a majority section of the state BJP unit that even the organisation is “being run from the 5, Kalidas Marg (official residence of the UP CM)”. While the exercise for electing incumbent state unit chief Bhupendra Chowdhary’s successor is underway, sources said that more than the caste equation or regional balance for the next state unit chief, the central BJP leadership is also considering the “equation” with the Uttar Pradesh chief minister.
Sources disclosed that the BJP high command is being compelled to take Mr Adityanath into confidence before making any significant moves regarding the state, particularly when it comes to selecting the new state unit chief.
“This is Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP is in power and Mr Adityanath is a second-term chief minister… He is popular and so are many of his government’s schemes… The party’s good performance in the 2022 (Assembly) polls was because of his government’s first term…When the party in power in any state, coordination between the government and the organisation is also a major issue, so the name of the next BJP (state unit) chief will be selected considering a lot of aspects, including his tuning with the CM,” said a senior leader from the state.
BJP national general secretary Vinod Tawde, who is also in-charge of the organisational polls, was in Lucknow for two days since Wednesday to assess the situation. Mr Tawde met Mr Adityanath, one of the deputy chief ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya, organisational secretary Dharampal and Cabinet minister Swatantra Dev Singh, among others.
Speculation is rife that the next UP unit chief’s name could be announced by this month-end as Union minister Piyush Goyal, who is the election officer for the state president's and national council members' polls from the state, is expected to visit Lucknow around then.