3-day BJP training camp set to begin in UP today
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath would also participate in the cadre training camp, after which the BJP is expected to announce the name of its new state chief.
Lucknow: For the second time in 18 hours, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) core committee met at chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s residence on Thursday and is learnt to have finalised the names of candidates for the two legislative council vacancies in the state.
The core committee meeting took place ahead of the three-day party cadre’s training camp in Chitrakoot from Friday in which several Union ministers as well ministers in Yogi 2.o government, BJP chief JP Nadda, defence minister Rajnath Singh, national general secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh and Murlidhar Rao, the convener of Swadeshi Jagran Manch, are also expected along with many others. The BJP is expected to set the agenda for civic polls likely by year-end and for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath would also participate in the cadre training camp, after which the BJP is expected to announce the name of its new state chief.
“When so many senior leaders are coming (to Chitrakoot), then of course, we will sit and discuss many things,” a senior leader said.
The present state chief Swatantra Dev, a Kurmi OBC, has tendered his resignation after completing his three-year tenure. The BJP follows the concept of one man, one post and in line with the party plan, Swatantra who is the state’s Jal Shakti minister now, has quit paving the way for a new appointment.
However, in both the core committee meetings, Swatantra participated as the state chief and is also expected to be present for the cadre training camp in Chitrakoot in the same capacity.
“Till a new announcement, I am the state chief,” Swatantra Dev said after the core committee meeting and described the meet as a “usual practice”.
Other BJP leaders too said such core committee meetings were a regular practice in the party.
“In keeping with the standard practice, a panel of names would be sent to the party leadership which will then choose and make a formal announcement,” BJP leaders said. One of them said about 12 names would be sent for perusal of party leadership, out of which 2 candidates would be finalised.
It couldn’t be immediately known if the BJP would look to reward Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party leader Om Prakash Rajbhar, who has now parted ways with the Samajwadi Party and to whom the BJP government has extended a ‘Y’ category security cover.
The nomination process for these two vacancies in the Upper House of the state legislature has started from Monday, and voting, if required, will be held on August 11.
Based on its strength in the U.P. assembly, the BJP is expected to win both the seats comfortably. That is the reason why there is a long list of claimants from within the party against these two vacancies in the Upper House, where the BJP already has a brute majority. It has 72 members in the 100-member legislative council.
