After week-long speculations over the next Chief Minister of the state, newly elected legislators of Bhartiya Janata Party on Saturday elected five-term lok Sabha MP from Gorakhpur and aggressive Hindutva mascot Yogi Adityanath as the leader of the legislature party.
The results of UP Assembly polls were announced on March 11 and it was expected that the BJP will elect its new Chief Minister any time after the festival of Holi on March 13.
The BJP legislators also endorsed the proposal for two Deputy Chief Ministers. State BJP president and MP Keshav Prasad Maurya and lucknow Mayor Dinesh Sharma will be the two Deputy CMs. The BJP cabinet headed by Yogi Adityanath will be administered oath of office in lucknow on Sunday at Kanshiram Smriti Upvan.
As the meeting got underway at lok Bhawan, thousands of supporters from Gorakhpur and other districts gathered outside in large numbers. Supporters of Yogi resorted to sloganeering chanting `Desh mein Modi, pradesh mein Yogi’ and `Pradesh bimar hai, Yogi ilaaz hai’.
The BJP brass had deputed three observers in Union minister for Urban Development Venkian Naidu, BJP general secretary Bhupendra Yadav and state-in-charge and general secretary Om Mathur. leaders of two allies of the BJP –Apna Dal (Sonelal) chief and Union minister Anupriya Patel and Suheldeo Bhartiya Samaj Party chief Om Prakash Rajbhar were also present in the meeting.
later, Venkiah Naidu said that the proposal for Yogi Aditya- nath as leader of the party was moved by Suresh Khanna which was was seconded by 11 MlAs and was later unanimously adopted.
He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah and Chief Ministers of all BJP and NDA-ruled states will participate in the oath taking ceremony in lucknow on Sunday. He said that the top priority of the new government will be development and good governance.
Addressing party legislators, Chief Minister designate Yogi Adityanath said, ``We have to change the face of UP. Development of the state will be my top priority. UP is a very big and diverse state and I need your support for its rapid development and fulfilling the aspirations of the people.’’ Making no mention of Hindutva or any divisive issue, Yogi on the issue of two Deputy CMs, said, ``I need two colleagues for smooth and effective administration of the state.’’
BJP general secretary Om Mathur said, `` Yogi Adityanath was unanimously elected as the Chief Minister and there will be two Deputy CMs.’’
Deputy CM designate Keshav Prasad Maurya said, “The party has bestowed a great honour by giving an important responsibility. Good governance and end of goondaraj will be the top priority for the government.’’
Earlier in the day, Yogi was summoned to Delhi where he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah. later. he airdashed to lucknow by a chartered flight.
Till Saturday noon, there were speculations that Union minister of state for Telecom Manoj Sinha would be the likely choice of the BJP leadership. On Saturday morning, Sinha reached Varanasi and paid his obeisance at Kaal Bhairav and Kashi Vishwanath temples.
However by Saturday afternoon, state BJP leaders shared inputs with with the media that Yogi Adityanath had emerged as the choice of the Prime Minister and BJP president and he would be formally elected as the new Chief Minister of UP.