<p>Lucknow: Looking to counter rival Samajwadi Party’s (SP) PDA (pichda, dalit, alpsankhyak) formula, which had brought it (SP) considerable success in the state in 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP was likely to appoint influential OBC leader and union minister of state for finance Pankaj Chaudhary, a seven time MP as the Uttar Pradesh party chief.</p><p>Chaudhary, who hails from the electorally influential ‘kurmi’ community, leads the race for the top post, according to the BJP sources here on Saturday.</p>.Centre has 'zero tolerance' towards fugitives like Mehul Choksi: Minister Pankaj Chaudhary.<p>Chaudhary will be filing his nomination for the post of state party president on Sunday. The elections, if required, would be held the same day. BJP sources said that Chaudhary had the backing of the party high command also.</p><p>BJP sources said that Chaudhary, being a member of the ‘kurmi’ community, which was in sizable numbers in several eastern UP districts, could counter SP’s ‘PDA’ formula, especially in the ‘Poorvanchal’ region in the state. Assembly elections in the state are due in 2027.</p><p>BJP’s tally in the state in the 2024 LS polls declined to 33 from 62 in the 2019 LS elections. The SP, which could win only five seats in 2019 LS polls, managed to win 37 seats. SP nominees fared well in several OC dominated seats in the eastern UP region. The success of the party was then attributed to the PDA formula.</p><p>Incidentally Chaudhary hails from Maharajganj district, which was not very far from Gorakhpur, the home town of UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath. </p>
<p>Lucknow: Looking to counter rival Samajwadi Party’s (SP) PDA (pichda, dalit, alpsankhyak) formula, which had brought it (SP) considerable success in the state in 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP was likely to appoint influential OBC leader and union minister of state for finance Pankaj Chaudhary, a seven time MP as the Uttar Pradesh party chief.</p><p>Chaudhary, who hails from the electorally influential ‘kurmi’ community, leads the race for the top post, according to the BJP sources here on Saturday.</p>.Centre has 'zero tolerance' towards fugitives like Mehul Choksi: Minister Pankaj Chaudhary.<p>Chaudhary will be filing his nomination for the post of state party president on Sunday. The elections, if required, would be held the same day. BJP sources said that Chaudhary had the backing of the party high command also.</p><p>BJP sources said that Chaudhary, being a member of the ‘kurmi’ community, which was in sizable numbers in several eastern UP districts, could counter SP’s ‘PDA’ formula, especially in the ‘Poorvanchal’ region in the state. Assembly elections in the state are due in 2027.</p><p>BJP’s tally in the state in the 2024 LS polls declined to 33 from 62 in the 2019 LS elections. The SP, which could win only five seats in 2019 LS polls, managed to win 37 seats. SP nominees fared well in several OC dominated seats in the eastern UP region. The success of the party was then attributed to the PDA formula.</p><p>Incidentally Chaudhary hails from Maharajganj district, which was not very far from Gorakhpur, the home town of UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath. </p>