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UP BJP chief meets Raja Bhaiya, fuels buzz amid 2027 build-up
According to sources, the two leaders held a lengthy discussion. Although the meeting was officially described as a “courtesy call”, its timing has drawn attention amid the BJP’s preparations for the assembly polls.
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Amid intensifying political activity ahead of 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, state BJP president and Union minister of state for finance Pankaj Chaudhary met Jansatta Dal (Loktantrik) chief and Kunda MLA Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya at his official residence, ‘Ramayan’, in Lucknow on Monday, triggering speculation over possible political realignments.
According to sources, the two leaders held a lengthy discussion. Although the meeting was officially described as a “courtesy call”, its timing has drawn attention amid the BJP’s preparations for the assembly polls.
Since taking charge as state BJP president, Chaudhary has been reaching out to political figures across the state. He recently met the family of socialist ideologue Ram Manohar Lohia, held a core group meeting with BJP national general secretary (organisation) BL Santosh, chief minister Yogi Adityanath and deputy chief ministers Brajesh Pathak and Keshav Prasad Maurya, and inducted three rebel Samajwadi Party MLAs — Rakesh Pratap Singh, Abhay Singh and Vinod Chaturvedi — into the BJP in Amethi, describing their entry as “ghar wapasi”.
The meeting with Raja Bhaiya is significant given the latter’s influence in Pratapgarh and adjoining areas of central Uttar Pradesh. A six-time MLA from Kunda since 1993, Raja Bhaiya has never lost an assembly election. His party has two MLAs and has maintained a degree of distance from both the BJP and the Samajwadi Party, while extending support to the BJP government on several occasions.
Raja Bhaiya had contested 2022 assembly elections in alliance with other small outfits but later extended support to the BJP government on key issues.
Political circles see the outreach as part of the BJP’s efforts to consolidate its support among Thakurs and other upper-caste voters and build ties with smaller parties and influential regional leaders ahead of the 2027 polls.
Sources said the discussions also touched on development issues in the Pratapgarh region, law and order, and the state’s political situation. Neither side issued an official statement on a possible alliance.
BJP leaders maintained that the meeting was a courtesy call. However, the outreach comes as Chaudhary steps up engagement with influential political figures following the party’s recent internal discussions on its 2027 election strategy.
