<p>Notwithstanding the open expression of dissent by several party MPs, MLAs and other leaders over his style of functioning and 'mishandling' of the Covid-19 pandemic in the state, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, BJP's hardcore <em>Hindutva</em> poster boy, appears to have prevailed in the internal tussle in the saffron party.</p>.<p>The appointment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trusted former bureaucrat A K Sharma as state party unit's vice-president was indicative of Adityanath's growing indispensability within the BJP as far as UP politics was concerned.</p>.<p>According to sources, Adityanath was against the induction of Sharma in his cabinet as he apprehended that the latter could be a parallel center of power given his proximity to Modi.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/specials/sunday-spotlight/tensions-within-bjp-prompt-troubleshooting-999347.html" target="_blank">Read | Tensions within BJP prompt troubleshooting</a></strong></p>.<p>''Adityanath has succeeded in keeping Sharma away from his cabinet despite the pressure from the central party leadership...it shows his growing clout in the state,'' remarked a senior UP BJP leader on Sunday.</p>.<p>According to sources, not only Adityanath but Keshav Prasad Maurya, one of his deputies and his rival within the BJP, was opposed to Sharma's inclusion in the ministry for the same reason.</p>.<p>The old-timers in the state BJP recall how a not-so-well-known leader Ram Prakash Gupta had been made UP chief minister after Kalyan Singh was removed in 1999 to avoid factional fighting in the saffron party.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/specials/sunday-spotlight/challenges-yes-but-bjp-quick-on-course-correction-999349.html" target="_blank">Read | Challenges yes but BJP quick on course correction</a></strong></p>.<p>''Sharma too could have emerged as a dark horse in the event of a change of guard in UP,'' the leader said.</p>.<p>Sources in the BJP said that the party high command did not want to 'experiment' in the poll-bound state. ''Adityanath's removal so close to the assembly poll could have sent a wrong message to the people...it would have been akin to admitting that he had indeed mishandled the pandemic in UP,'' the leader added.</p>.<p>Another factor that seemed to have gone in favour of Adityanath was his 'unpredictable' nature. In the 2002 assembly polls in UP, Adityanath had put up own candidates in three constituencies after the party leadership rejected his recommendations.</p>
<p>Notwithstanding the open expression of dissent by several party MPs, MLAs and other leaders over his style of functioning and 'mishandling' of the Covid-19 pandemic in the state, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, BJP's hardcore <em>Hindutva</em> poster boy, appears to have prevailed in the internal tussle in the saffron party.</p>.<p>The appointment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trusted former bureaucrat A K Sharma as state party unit's vice-president was indicative of Adityanath's growing indispensability within the BJP as far as UP politics was concerned.</p>.<p>According to sources, Adityanath was against the induction of Sharma in his cabinet as he apprehended that the latter could be a parallel center of power given his proximity to Modi.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/specials/sunday-spotlight/tensions-within-bjp-prompt-troubleshooting-999347.html" target="_blank">Read | Tensions within BJP prompt troubleshooting</a></strong></p>.<p>''Adityanath has succeeded in keeping Sharma away from his cabinet despite the pressure from the central party leadership...it shows his growing clout in the state,'' remarked a senior UP BJP leader on Sunday.</p>.<p>According to sources, not only Adityanath but Keshav Prasad Maurya, one of his deputies and his rival within the BJP, was opposed to Sharma's inclusion in the ministry for the same reason.</p>.<p>The old-timers in the state BJP recall how a not-so-well-known leader Ram Prakash Gupta had been made UP chief minister after Kalyan Singh was removed in 1999 to avoid factional fighting in the saffron party.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/specials/sunday-spotlight/challenges-yes-but-bjp-quick-on-course-correction-999349.html" target="_blank">Read | Challenges yes but BJP quick on course correction</a></strong></p>.<p>''Sharma too could have emerged as a dark horse in the event of a change of guard in UP,'' the leader said.</p>.<p>Sources in the BJP said that the party high command did not want to 'experiment' in the poll-bound state. ''Adityanath's removal so close to the assembly poll could have sent a wrong message to the people...it would have been akin to admitting that he had indeed mishandled the pandemic in UP,'' the leader added.</p>.<p>Another factor that seemed to have gone in favour of Adityanath was his 'unpredictable' nature. In the 2002 assembly polls in UP, Adityanath had put up own candidates in three constituencies after the party leadership rejected his recommendations.</p>
