BJP to hold marathon meets over govt formation in four states where it won polls

The party retained power in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa in the recently concluded assembly elections.

Amid hectic parleys in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over government formations in four states, legislature party meetings are likely to be held during the weekend or early next week, party leaders familiar with the developments said.

Several leaders and chief ministers of the four states have visited Delhi for discussions with observers over the past few days. (ANI)

The party retained power in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa in the recently-concluded assembly elections.

While it is likely to continue with incumbent chief ministers in Uttar Pradesh (Yogi Adityanath), Manipur (Biren Singh) and Goa (Dr Pramod Sawant), there is little clarity over the situation in Uttarakhand where chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami lost the elections, the leaders cited above said.

“The government formation will take place after Holi,” a senior BJP leader said, seeking anonymity.

In the past few days, several leaders and chief ministers of the four states have visited Delhi for discussions with observers.

On Monday, central observers and co-observers for the election of the leader of the legislative party were appointed by the Parliamentary board of BJP for the four states.

While Union home minister Amit Shah was appointed as the observer of Uttar Pradesh, former Jharkhand chief minister Raghubar Das was chosen as the co-observer. Defence minister Rajnath Singh and minister of state for external affairs Meenakshi Lekhi were appointed as observer and co-observer for Uttarakhand, respectively.

The party appointed Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman as observer and Union law minister Kiren Rijiju as co-observer for Manipur. Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar was appointed as the observer for Goa while Union minister of state L Murugan was appointed as the co-observer.

On Thursday, BJP chief J P Nadda met leaders of the party’s allies in Uttar Pradesh – Anupriya Patel of the Apna Dal(S) and Sanjay Nishad of the Nishad party – separately at his residence to discuss matters related to government formation.

This came a day after Adityanath held deliberations with Nadda to firm up the composition of the new government following its thumping win in the assembly polls.

While Adityanath is likely to retain the chief minister’s post, there has been speculation surrounding the number of deputy chief ministers that the new government will have. The outgoing Adityanath government had two deputy chief ministers, Keshav Prasad Maurya (an OBC) and Dinesh Sharma (a Brahmin).

The party is also considering if Maurya, who lost the election, can be reinstated in his old position.

Adityanath will be the first chief minister in the last 37 years to return to power after completing a full term in the state. The BJP won 255 of 403 seats in the polls.

In Uttarakhand, the party has not indicated whether it will continue with Dhami. However, the probable names doing the rounds for the top post are BJP national spokesperson Anil Baluni, state education minister Dhan Singh Rawat, state BJP president Madan Kaushik, former Union education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal “Nishank”, and Nainital MP Ajay Bhatt.

A senior party leader said the legislative party meeting is likely to be held after March 19.

“Our central party leaders have consulted state leaders on government formation. We are expecting a decision soon,” the leader said, seeking anonymity.

In Manipur, senior BJP MLA Th Biswajit Singh, who returned to Imphal from Delhi today, said the announcement of the new chief minister was delayed due to the ongoing second half of Budget session.

Biswajit Singh is seen as one of the frontrunners for the chief minister’s post along with caretaker chief minister N Biren Singh – both of whom went to Delhi along with other senior leaders after election results were announced.

Singh resigned from his post on March 11.

On reports that Biren Singh may get a second term as the chief minister, he said it was speculation. “The Manipur BJP leaders’ meeting with central leaders in New Delhi was to celebrate the party’s victory in the recently-concluded state assembly elections. Nothing related to the BJP legislature party leader was discussed,” he said, adding that the state unit will follow directions of the central leadership.

Biren Singh said there was no discussion with party leaders on the issue of government formation. “We will follow decisions taken by our party leaders,” he said.

BJP Goa chief Sadanand Shet Tanavade said the swearing-in ceremony of the new government in the state will take place only after March 21 next week, following the arrival of the BJP’s central committee members.

Tomar and Murugan are likely to arrive in Goa on March 20, he said.

“There is no infighting over ministerial berths. The decision will be taken at the Central party leadership, we have briefed them and they will take the decision,” Tanavade added.

(With agency inputs)