With Uttar Pradesh BJP chief Swatantra Dev Singh joining the Yogi Adityanath cabinet, the ruling party is now contemplating nominating a new state unit chief. Sources said that in keeping with the ‘one man, one post’ rule, the party will ask Singh to step down and is likely to appoint a replacement soon.
Sources added that this time, the BJP is considering appointing a Brahmin face to the position. “The discussion over the post of state president is on and it is revolving around having a Brahmin appointed to the post,” said a senior party leader.
Among those being considered are former deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma, state general secretary Gopal Narayan Shukla and former state power minister Sri Kant Sharma.
The community is electorally significant in the state as it constitutes about 10% of the total population. The BJP is also considering a Brahmin face as the community is believed to have completely backed the party in the recent Assembly elections.
During the polls, a panel of top Brahmin leaders was constituted to woo the discontented community. Several leaders had expressed displeasure at the Brahmin community being overlooked during the first tenure of the Yogi Adityanath government.
Party sources feel that with Brajesh Pathak being given the post of deputy CM, a Brahmin state unit chief will ensure the community’s representation in both the government and the organisation.
Senior leaders who were ministers in the previous government but have not been included in the cabinet this time, like Siddharth Nath Singh, Ashutosh or Gopal Tandon, may also be accommodated in the organisation.
With inputs from News18
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