Pankaj Chaudhary is MP from Maharajganj, is an OBC and is seen as a seasoned, grassroots leader, who is also a loyal party worker.
Chaudhary filed his nomination in Lucknow in the presence of senior BJP leaders, a gesture widely interpreted as a signal of strong organisational backing. (Photo: ANI)
New Delhi: Union Minister of State for Finance and Maharajganj MP Pankaj Chaudhary is set to take over as the new president of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Uttar Pradesh unit, with the contest for the party’s top organisational post in the state now effectively settled. Chaudhary has emerged as the lone aspirant after no other senior leader filed nomination papers within the stipulated deadline, making his elevation a virtual certainty.
With no competing nominations, party leaders and observers alike view Chaudhary’s appointment as a formality. According to BJP sources, the official announcement is expected on Sunday, bringing closure to a closely watched internal process that has drawn wide attention across political circles in Uttar Pradesh.
Chaudhary filed his nomination in Lucknow in the presence of senior BJP leaders, a gesture widely interpreted as a signal of strong organisational backing. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, BJP national general secretary Vinod Tawde, senior leader Mahendra Nath Pandey, and former Union Minister Smriti Irani were present, underscoring the broad consensus behind his candidature.
A seven-time Lok Sabha member, Chaudhary is regarded as one of the most influential leaders from the Kurmi community, the second-largest group in Uttar Pradesh after Yadavs. His expected elevation has generated enthusiasm among BJP workers, many of whom see him as a seasoned, grassroots-oriented leader capable of balancing the demands of government and organisation at a politically sensitive juncture.
Within party ranks, Chaudhary is known as a loyal and disciplined worker who has stood by the BJP through different phases of its political rise. He has played a significant role in consolidating the party’s base in Maharajganj and the adjoining Terai belt. Grassroots workers often describe him as approachable and composed, relying on personal connect rather than confrontation to counter political challenges.
Once formally appointed, Chaudhary will become the fourth leader from the Kurmi community to serve as BJP state president in Uttar Pradesh, following Vinay Katiyar, Om Prakash Singh, and Swatantra Dev Singh. Party insiders say the choice reflects a deliberate strategy to strengthen OBC outreach and consolidate the organisation in Purvanchal, or eastern Uttar Pradesh, a region seen as electorally crucial.
At the same time, observers note that Chaudhary will face significant challenges. Despite his stature as a seven-time MP and Union Minister, he must work to reunify the Kurmi vote base, which is believed to have fragmented after the BJP’s setbacks in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Analysts also point out that much of his organisational experience has been concentrated around his home constituency, raising questions about his ability to exert influence across Kurmi-dominated regions statewide.
The leadership decision is also being viewed through the lens of broader political strategy. The BJP is keen to counter the Samajwadi Party’s PDA pitch—an alliance of Pichhda, Dalit and Alpsankhyak—that helped the opposition gain ground in the last general election. By placing an OBC leader at the helm of the state unit, the party aims to blunt that narrative ahead of the 2027 Assembly polls.
Chaudhary, considered close to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, is known for his organisational grip and was actively involved during the RSS meeting in Gorakhpur in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections. His appointment also fits into the BJP’s wider attempt to balance caste representation, with an upper-caste chief minister and an OBC face leading the party organisation.
Sources suggest the Uttar Pradesh leadership decision is closely linked to the impending selection of the BJP’s next national president. After handing the state unit to an OBC leader, the party may opt for an upper-caste leader at the national level, with the process expected to begin in the new year after JP Nadda completes his second term.
With Uttar Pradesh central to the BJP’s national ambitions and critical elections looming in 2026 and 2027, the party appears determined to leave little to chance. Chaudhary’s elevation is seen as both an organisational consolidation and a political signal as the BJP seeks to recover lost ground and prepare for the battles ahead.
