Amid speculation over new Uttar Pradesh BJP chief, Dalit leaders are hot contenders

The Bharatiya Janata Party has not awarded any Dalit face to the post of president in the state, Swatantra Dev Singh comes from a backward caste. Earlier, Keshav Prasad Maurya, who was the state president of the party, also comes from a backward class. Before Keshav, Brahmin leader Laxmikant Vajpayee was the state president of the BJP. So, in the last 15 years, Brahmins and faces from the other backward castes remained in the post of state president.

Lucknow: Speculations are rife over the name of the new state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief in Uttar Pradesh. The present UP BJP president Swatantra Deo Singh has been inducted into the Yogi cabinet last month, since then the hunt is on for his successor.

So far, the Bharatiya Janata Party has not awarded any Dalit face to the post of president in the state, Swatantra Dev Singh comes from a backward caste. Earlier, Keshav Prasad Maurya, who was the state president of the party, also comes from a backward class. Before Keshav, Brahmin leader Laxmikant Vajpayee was the state president of the BJP. So, in the last 15 years, Brahmins and faces from the other backward castes had held the post of state president.

So this time by giving a chance to the Dalit face, the party would like to take advantage in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections by presenting the party as benevolent to Dalits.

Vidyasagar Sonkar: Among the prominent leaders whose names are in discussion for the post of president, former MP and MLC Vidyasagar Sonkar's name is the most prominent one. Sonkar comes from a scheduled caste and started his political journey with RSS. In the BJP, he held positions like State General Secretary and State Vice President. Earlier, BJP had also given him the responsibility of connecting the Dalits and made him the state president of the Scheduled Caste Morcha. There was also a lot of discussion about making him a minister in the Yogi government, although he was not awarded the ministerial post. By appointing a Dalit face as its president, the BJP can maintain the dent in Mayawati's vote bank.

Laxman Acharya: The other Dalit face of the BJP, whose name is in the race, is Laxman Acharya. He too belongs to Scheduled Caste and is a long-time BJP worker. Currently, an MLC and in past served as president of the Kashi region. Counted among the most loyal faces of the party, he might be awarded a bigger responsibility.

Pro. Ram Shankar Katheriya: The Dalit face of BJP, and MP from Etawah, Prof Ram Shankar Katheria's name is also under consideration. Similarly, Kaushal Kishor, MP from Mohanlalganj and Minister of State in the Modi government, can also be awarded the post. At the same time, Dalit faces like MP from Jalaun and Minister of State in Modi government Bhanu Pratap Verma are also being told to be in the race for the new president. These names are also being seriously considered in the party's churning.

Keeping in mind the caste dynamics of UP and forthcoming parliament elections, the party is considering the Dalit leaders for the post of state president.