Lucknow: In July 2023, PM Narendra Modi, throughout a go to to Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur, referred to as on BJP MP Pankaj Chaudhary at his residence however didn’t go to the Gorakhnath temple, of which CM Yogi Adityanath is chief priest. Choudhary has since remained within the highlight, with hypothesis that he might be entrusted with a big function within the social gathering.

Two years later, Chaudhary appears to be like set to turn into the following Uttar Pradesh BJP president. He was the one one who filed his nomination papers for the publish on the social gathering workplace Saturday.

A distinguished non-Yadav OBC face from UP east, Chaudhary defeated Congress candidate Virendra Chaudhary by a margin of over 35,000 votes within the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and was subsequently appointed Union Minister of State for Finance.

आज लखनऊ में भाजपा उत्तर प्रदेश के अध्यक्ष पद हेतु माननीय मुख्यमंत्री योगी आदित्यनाथ जी, माननीय उप मुख्यमंत्री श्री केशव प्रसाद मौर्य जी, माननीय उप मुख्यमंत्री श्री ब्रजेश पाठक जी, माननीय जल शक्ति मंत्री श्री स्वतंत्र देव सिंह जी की उपस्थिति में नामांकन पत्र दाखिल किया।

इस अवसर… pic.twitter.com/0ltpIXLobR

— Pankaj Chaudhary (@mppchaudhary) December 13, 2025

 

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Why solely Pankaj Chaudhary?

Chaudhary, although hailing from the Gorakhpur belt, has by no means been considered a part of CM Adityanath’s closed circle. Nevertheless, he was seen as a excessive command alternative for Uttar Pradesh because the BJP was stated to be on the lookout for a non-Yadav OBC face to exchange incumbent state chief Bhupendra Chaudhary, a Jat chief from western UP who’s also called a impartial voice in social gathering circles.

Chatting with ThePrint, a senior BJP chief from jap UP stated Pankaj Chaudhary is the one BJP chief within the Gorakhpur zone with an enchantment unbiased of Adityanath.

“He’s senior to the UP chief minister by way of political expertise, having entered Parliament in 1991. Although he retains a low profile, he has loved a optimistic standing with the excessive command from the very starting,” the chief stated.

He’s additionally thought of near former UP BJP chief Ramapati Tripathi, whom he regards as his political guru, and can also be seen as a part of Rajnath Singh’s circle. Even Modi, the chief stated, is impressed by Chaudhary’s humility and join with voters.

“I bear in mind in 2023, when the Prime Minister visited his home in Gorakhpur, the automobile needed to cease almost 150 metres away as the home is situated in a slim lane. The PM stepped out and walked the remainder of the gap. That go to despatched a transparent message on the time and the end result is there now for everybody to see,” he stated.

BJP sources declare that just a few days in the past, throughout a gathering of senior leaders chaired by BJP basic secretary (organisation) B.L. Santhosh, it was steered that the social gathering ought to appoint a frontrunner from the Kurmis, thought of the second-largest OBC group in UP after Yadavs, as state president.

Each Swatantra Dev Singh (one other Kurmi face) and Pankaj Chaudhary had been thought of. Singh had served as state president through the 2022 meeting elections and was seen as a robust contender for a second time period. Nevertheless, he’s perceived to be near Adityanath. The social gathering, due to this fact, determined to go for Chaudhary, who doesn’t share the identical degree of rapport with the Chief Minister, stated sources.

In response to BJP sources, Santhosh made it clear through the assembly that the organisation and the federal government are two separate entities although they share a standard purpose, and that the social gathering excessive command would take the ultimate name. He not directly hinted that the excessive command wished to nominate its decide as state chief. A day earlier than Chaudhary’s nomination, Santhosh visited Lucknow to fulfill CM Yogi Adityanath. Celebration functionaries say it was throughout this assembly that he conveyed the excessive command’s message.

Sources near Yogi Adityanath instructed ThePrint he by no means endorsed a candidate for the publish of state BJP chief. Even Swatantra Dev Singh, they stated, was initially the Centre’s alternative however later grew near the CM, one thing which will have price him the publish this time.

“The social gathering excessive command seems to view the organisation and the federal government as parallel however distinct entities,” a functionary on the Chief Minister’s Workplace stated.

‘Skilled, uncontroversial’

Pankaj Chaudhary comes from a politically lively household. His mom, Ujjwal Chaudhary, beforehand served as Maharajganj district panchayat president. He began his personal political profession as a member of the Gorakhpur Municipal Company in 1989. He later served as deputy mayor of the municipal company for a yr.

In 1991, the BJP fielded him from the Maharajganj Lok Sabha constituency, a seat he retained till 1999, when he was defeated by Samajwadi Celebration’s Akhilesh Singh. He regained the seat in 2004 however misplaced to Congress candidate Harsh Vardhan in 2009. In 2014, he gained the constituency once more and has represented it within the Lok Sabha since.

Chaudhary’s household additionally owns Harbansram Bhagwandas, a well known firm that manufactures the ayurvedic oil Rahat Rooh. In response to the affidavit he filed for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Chaudhary declared belongings price Rs 41.9 crore.

Though Chaudhary has restricted expertise with organisational obligations, many throughout the BJP stated he would do justice to the function with steerage from the Centre. Throughout the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Amit Shah, whereas addressing a public assembly in assist of Chaudhary, described him as “among the many most skilled parliamentarians within the BJP”.

“Even should you search far and extensive, you’ll not discover an MP like him,” Shah stated.

A senior Uttar Pradesh BJP chief instructed ThePrint: “After the setback in 2024, the social gathering realised the significance of reaching out to non-Yadav OBCs, significantly the Kurmi group, which constitutes the second-largest phase amongst OBCs after Yadavs. The Samajwadi Celebration can also be actively wooing them, making it essential to venture a Kurmi face because the state BJP chief. Furthermore, he’s a seasoned politician.”

“He’s a low-key chief who stays away from controversies and avoids making provocative statements. He maintains common contact with native social gathering employees whereas additionally remaining carefully linked with the highest management,” the chief added.

One other social gathering chief instructed ThePrint that Chaudhary gained benefit as a result of he’s not thought of near Adityanath. “Regardless of belonging to the identical Gorakhpur zone, Chaudhary and Yogi don’t share a superb rapport. They’ve hardly ever been seen collectively at social gathering occasions in Gorakhpur or Maharajganj up to now. You hardly ever discover photos of their one-on-one conferences. Although they by no means opposed one another in public, now they’ll now have to return collectively for Mission 2027 (meeting polls),” the chief stated.

Congress chief Virendra Chaudhary, who contested towards Pankaj Chaudhary within the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, nevertheless, questioned this evaluation.

“The BJP might have chosen him as state chief as a result of he’s a Kurmi chief, but when he really loved such widespread acceptance amongst Kurmis, how did I safe over 5.5 lakh votes towards him? I too belong to the Kurmi group,” he stated.

He additional argued that Kurmi voting behaviour differs from that of different castes. “Kurmis observe district-level management and are unlikely to fall into the BJP’s lure,” he added.

(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)

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