Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday said the elected BJP legislatures of Uttar Pradesh chose the Chief Minister and there was no interference from the RSS in the selection process.
Naidu who had flown to lucknow as BJP’s observer maintained that after discussions with the elected MlAs of the BJP he conveyed their views to Party President Amit Shah.
In the backdrop of the Opposition criticism over party’s choice of Chief Minister, the senior BJP leader asked the Opposition to be “graceful in defeat,” accept the mandate of the people and give a “fair opportunity” to the new Chief Minister. Naidu said in the BJP, the legislators under the Parliamentary Party Board decide the leader and there was no question of interference from the RSS. The Minister said in the meeting in the State Capital, legislators proposed the name of Yogi Adityanath with MlA Suresh Khanna seconding it. There was a unanimity on the choice, he added.
Bahujan Samaj Party had alleged that an RSS man was made Chief Minister as BJP seeks to contest 2019 poll by “polarising the voters” and would sidestep the issue of development.
Naidu pointed out that the incumbent Chief Minister has already said that he would take along with him all sections of society and work for development of the State. Naidu recalled PM Narendra Modi’s statement that the country would develop if UP develops. He attributed criticism on the choice of the Chief Minister to the Opposition not being able to digest the huge victory of BJP and its allies winning 325 MlAs in the assembly.