With by-elections on 10 assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh on the horizon, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has ramped up its election preparations. It has finalised a list comprising the names of 27 candidates for 9 seats.
A crucial meeting of the BJP core committee took place in Lucknow, chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The meeting, which included discussions on candidates for nine of the ten seats, resulted in the finalization of a panel comprising 27 names. This panel will now be sent to Delhi for approval, with the party’s central leadership expected to make the final decision.
Notably, it was decided to leave the Meerapur seat for the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), a BJP ally, while discussions continue over the Nishad Party's claim to seats in the by-elections.
No decision has been made yet on whether Nishad Party President Sanjay Nishad will be given a seat, raising doubts about his party's allocation.
The high-level meeting, held at the Chief Minister's residence, lasted over an hour and included prominent BJP leaders such as Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, BJP State President Bhupendra Chaudhary, and General Secretary (Organization) Dharampal. During the meeting, discussions centered around ticket claimants for the upcoming by-elections, campaign strategies, and efforts to bolster coordination between the party and the government.
In addition to candidate selection, other critical aspects of the by-election preparations, such as the membership campaign and leader visits, were also reviewed. It was decided that ongoing consultations between the Chief Minister and the State President will help shape the party’s strategy moving forward.
The meeting focused on nine constituencies: Milkipur, Katehari, Majhawan, Phulpur, Khair, Kundarki, Sisamau, Karhal, and Ghaziabad, with the exception of Meerapur. The BJP's district committees had earlier forwarded a list of ten names for each of these seats. After deliberation, three names were shortlisted for each constituency, forming a panel to be sent to the central leadership for final approval.
Interestingly, none of the names on the panel include Muslim candidates.
With the by-election dates expected to be announced soon, the BJP is set to escalate its election campaign. Party leaders discussed campaign plans, including visits from senior figures and strategies for collecting ground-level feedback on each seat.
A plan to improve coordination between the government and the organization was also discussed to ensure a smooth electoral process.
Apart from election-related matters, the meeting also touched upon appointments to various government corporations, commissions, and boards. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has asked the party organization to finalize the list of names for these appointments and submit them for approval.
However, the status of the seats sought by the Nishad Party remains uncertain. While it was confirmed that the Meerapur seat will go to RLD, the BJP has prepared panels for the Katehari and Majhawan seats, traditionally claimed by the Nishad Party. In the 2022 assembly elections, the Nishad Party contested both seats but only won Majhawan. Given the current dynamics, it remains unclear whether the Nishad Party will receive a seat allocation this time around.
“The BJP's preparations for the upcoming by-elections indicate a comprehensive strategy to secure key constituencies and ensure a coordinated campaign effort. The final list of candidates is expected to shape the party's chances as the election draws near,” BJP state president Bhupendra Chaudhry said.
