With reports of the BJP appointing region-wise in-charges wafting around, state party chief Keshav Prasad Maurya said that a final decision on this would be taken after April 24.
“I will sit with senior party leaders once I return to lucknow after April 24 and take stock of situation. We will thrash out a strategy about elections then,” Maurya said on Tuesday.
The new state BJP chief said that he will act as per directives of the Central leadership. “I am a dedicated soldier of the party and will do whatever the leadership asks me to do. If it decides to appoint in-charges for different regions, I have no problem. In fact, I do not have an idea about this but will follow the party diktat,” he said.
As per reports, the BJP brass wants to appoint Union minister Mahesh Sharma as in-charge of western UP, Smriti Irani as in-charge of central UP, Satyadeo Singh as in-charge of Bundelkhand and Keshav Prasad Maurya as in-charge of eastern UP. But it is unclear whether these supervisors would report to Maurya or UP–in-charge, Om Mathur.
The state BJP chief also said that he would declare his team soon. “I am presently touring different parts of the state. I will take a call on my new team after April 24. I will declare it after getting the nod of the Central leadership,” he said.
Maurya reiterated that the BJP would contest the next polls on the agenda of development as the people of UP want roads, power, good law and order, social security and prosperity of farmers.
“The Samajwadi Party regime has failed to fulfil its promises. People are looking towards the BJP. They want a change and only the BJP can take the state on the road to development and progress. We have set a target to get 265 plus seats and I am asking workers to gear up to attain the target,” he said.
Reacting to allegations of senior SP leader Shivpal Singh Yadav about criminal charges against him, Maurya said that these cases were politically motivated. “Cases were lodged when I led people protesting against government misrule and I am not affraid of such cases. I have asked workers to protest the SP misrule and I dare CM Akhilesh Yadav to file more cases against me,” Maurya said.