NEW DELHI/LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s Delhi visit, which was capped by his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, led to a buzz in Lucknow about his induction into the BJP Parliamentary Board.
After the resounding win in India’s politically most crucial state, Yogi Adityanath’s elevation in the party ranks is likely to take place through his ascension to the BJP’s apex decision making body.
“The victory in the elections has given a push to Yogi’s stature not only as the UP CM but also as a senior leader who will have a say in crucial decisions,” asserted a senior BJP leader.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has also been throwing its weight behind Yogi.
In the crucial Uttar Pradesh election, the Sangh went all out to help Yogi who created record by becoming the first sitting UP chief minister to return to power since 1985.
Currently, Shivraj Singh Chouhan is the only chief minister to find a place in the 11-member board, which makes important decisions regarding the BJP’s policy in Parliament and state legislatures.
PM Narendra Modi, BJP national chief JP Nadda, Union ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari, and party general secretary (Organisation) B L Santhosh are the other remaining members of the board.
According to party insiders in Delhi, the existing four vacancies are likely to be filled shortly to expedite the party’s policy-making process ahead of the polls in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.
“Besides Yogi, other names doing rounds include Bhupendra Yadav, Piyush Goyal and one from scheduled caste,” a source said.
On Monday, Yogi met President Ram Nath Kovind, PM Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national chief JP Nadda in the national capital.
“The visit to call on the PM and other senior BJP leaders might have been for discussions over his induction in the panel,” a senior party leader at the party’s central office said.
As per the party insiders, Yogi and his deputies Keshav Maurya and Brajesh Pathak sat with the BJP top brass to discuss issues, including the ground work for the next general elections.