Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday met BJP Uttar Pradesh president Keshav Prasad Maurya, amid growing speculations on the party’s choice for the chief minister.

Maurya is among the top contenders for the job , though the party’s central observers M Venkaiah Naidu and Bhupender Yadav are yet to land in Lucknow and consult with the newly elected MLAs on their preference for the leadership position.

Maurya’s projection as BJP state unit president ahead of the polls is considered as one of the factors that consolidated the non-Yadav MBC votes and gave the saffron party a comfortable 3/4th majority.

Union Minister Manoj Sinha and Lucknow Mayor Dinesh Sharma are also among the contenders for the job, though the BJP does not rule out a surprise young face.
As of late Tuesday afternoon, the BJP did not announce the schedule for the central observers meeting to select the chief ministers of UP and Uttarakhand.

Party sources said Uttarakhand state unit had suggested names of Trivendra Singh Rawat and Satpal Maharaj for the chief minister’s position.

Responding to comments by some followers, Modi said: “when UP develops, India develops.”