Pankaj Chaudhary Poised to Become New State Chief

The Uttar Pradesh BJP is set to get a new state president after 11 months, with the election process beginning today. Nominations are expected this afternoon, and the formal announcement is scheduled for December 14. Union Minister Pankaj Chaudhary, a seven-time MP from Maharajganj, is leading the race, with Dharmapal Lodhi and BL Verma also in contention. Chaudhary’s appointment is seen as a strategic move to strengthen BJP’s hold in Eastern UP and consolidate the Kurmi vote bank ahead of the 2026 Panchayat and 2027 Assembly elections. Central leaders, including Vinod Tawde and Piyush Goyal, are overseeing the process. The leadership change is critical as BJP seeks to recover lost ground and balance regional representation within the state party structure.