Giving preference to party workers in elections, the BJP announced candidates for Gorakhpur and Phulpur lok Sabha by-elections on Monday.
Whil Upendra Shukla will be the candidate from Gorakhpur seat vacated by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Kaushlendra Singh Patel will be the candidate from Phulpur which was vacated by Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya. Shukla is considered to be a hardcore party worker and is a close lieutenant of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. He was the district BJP president of Gorakhpur and considered the Brahmin face of the party in Gorakhpur. Similarly, a former Mayor of Varanasi, Patel is also a very popular leader in eastern UP, moreso among backwards.
He is also secretary in the state BJP executive committee. State BJP general secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak said that the organisation has given priority to dedicated leaders in ticket distribution and both candidates are presently holding organisational posts. Now both seats will have triangular contest as SP and Congress have named their candidates in these seats. The BSP is not likely to field candidates for the elections as it is against contesting bye-elections. The last date for filing of nominations for both the seats is February 20 while polling would be held on March 11 and counting of votes will be done on March 14.