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It was nearly three months ago that the party announced new district presidents for 70 organisational units. Yet, the remaining 28 posts continue to lie vacant
India’s largest state does not have a BJP ‘Prabhari’. (PTI)
In another two years, the BJP will go in for what is touted as the semi-final ahead of the 2029 general election—the Uttar Pradesh assembly election in 2027. Having ruled the state for the last eight years, one would expect the BJP to have created an impenetrable ecosystem, and for India’s most populous state, which offers 80 Lok Sabha seats, the organisation and the government would be on the same page. However, the truth appears to be far from that.
Three Months Not Enough
It was nearly three months ago that the party announced new district presidents for 70 organisational units. Yet, the remaining 28 posts continue to lie vacant, with no signs of resolution. UP’s political analysts believe that the prolonged delay—extending beyond just district president appointments to several key organisational roles—signals more than just procedural hold-ups. In fact, they see it as a reflection of growing factionalism within the party, and the beginning of visible cracks in the BJP’s internal cohesion, leadership coordination, and grassroots functioning.
Despite several rounds of deliberation, key decision-makers, including UP election in-charge Mahendra Nath Pandey, state president Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary, and organisational general secretary Dharampal Singh, have failed to arrive at a consensus—reportedly due to growing factionalism and the absence of a full-time state in-charge.
Pandey reasoned, “We are actively considering names for the remaining 28 districts. The central leadership has been informed. Once directions are received, we will proceed. The quorum for the state president election is complete, and 70 out of 98 district presidents have already been appointed.”
Partial Appointments
On March 16 this year, the BJP named district presidents for 70 of its 98 organisational districts. These appointments reflected a careful caste calculus—39 upper caste leaders, 25 from OBCs, and six Scheduled Castes. Significantly, 44 were fresh faces while 26 were retained from previous terms.
But appointments in 28 districts—including Chandauli, the home turf of Pandey himself—have remained in limbo. What was initially presented as a staggered rollout has turned into a political deadlock, drawing concern from party workers and analysts alike.
Anand Dubey, spokesperson for the BJP’s Uttar Pradesh unit, said: “The process of appointing district presidents, as well as other pending organisational posts, is actively underway. We expect the remaining appointments to be finalised by the end of July.”
But the issue is beyond just the delayed announcement of a few BJP district presidents in Uttar Pradesh.
‘Lack Of Consensus At The Top’
Political analyst Shashikant Pandey, head of department of political science at Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, attributed the stalemate to growing intra-party rivalries.
Speaking to News18, he said: “The party leadership lacks consensus even in its core group. When senior leaders pull in different directions, delays like these are inevitable.”
According to Pandey, chief minister Yogi Adityanath, deputy CMs Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, and key organisational figures like Bhupendra Chaudhary and Dharampal Singh are yet to align on several appointments. The controversy surrounding Natwar Goyal’s nomination to the Vyapar Kalyan Board further exposed these fissures, ultimately reaching the BJP’s central command in Delhi.
What Was the Natwar Goyal row?
In February 2025, Natwar Goyal was appointed vice-president of the Uttar Pradesh Vyapar Kalyan Board by the state government. Goyal, formerly associated with the Akhil Bharatiya Vaishya Mahasangh, had been active in Vaishya community issues but had no significant grassroots role within the BJP organisation. His appointment sparked sharp criticism from within the party—particularly from leaders representing the Vaishya and trader communities. Many objected to his selection, claiming it sidelined long-serving BJP karyakartas and lacked internal consensus.
Allegations surfaced that the decision was influenced by certain power blocs within the state unit, bypassing established consultative processes. The issue quickly escalated, with several UP BJP leaders writing to the party high command in Delhi, demanding a review. The controversy exposed factional tensions, particularly between the organisational leadership and community representation groups.
On many issues, there’s divergence of opinion in the core group. Adityanath, Maurya, Pathak, UP BJP chief Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary and general secretary (organisation) Dharmpal Singh often don’t agree on many issues. This row reaching Delhi for a solution exposed the fault lines within.
Pandey said, “This isn’t just a procedural delay—this is symptomatic of a party wrestling with its own growth. The BJP in UP has become a coalition of powerful sub-factions, each with its own agenda. Without a strong, neutral mediator like a state in charge, decision-making has ground to a halt.”
No Full-Time In-Charge Since 2023
Also, India’s largest state does not have a BJP ‘Prabhari’. Before the 2022 assembly election, the BJP appointed Radha Mohan Singh, who was then the party national vice-president, as the BJP’s UP ‘Prabhari’ in 2019. Under his supervision, the 2021 UP panchayat poll and the 2022 assembly poll were conducted. But ever since Singh was removed from his post as national vice-president in 2023, no one was given the charge of the state. “Even minor issues now require escalation to Delhi. A full-time in-charge could have resolved many of these matters locally,” pointed out Pandey.
Sources say the central leadership is struggling to find someone who can effectively manage relations between Adityanath, the state BJP, and the RSS.
Gonda and Beyond
In districts like Gonda, the vacuum has become evident. The previous district president, Amar Kishore Kashyap, was removed after a controversial video of him hugging a woman inside the BJP office surfaced. Months later, no replacement has been named. In other regions—Awadh, Kanpur, Kashi, Gorakhpur, and Braj—acting district presidents lack the authority or motivation to take strong organisational decisions.
Minority Commission in Limbo?
Political appointments and organisational election too are delayed in Uttar Pradesh. In the corridors of Lucknow, it’s discussed openly how different groups within the power corridor are responsible for this delay. Take, for instance, the Uttar Pradesh Minority Commission. So far, neither the chairperson nor the members have been appointed. Even the appointment of nominated councillors is stuck in limbo.
For a party that won 255 seats out of the total 403 seats in the 2022 assembly poll and swept back to power but got a reality check in 2024, the scenario is definitely concerning.
Anindya Banerjee, Associate Editor brings over fifteen years of journalistic courage to the forefront. With a keen focus on politics and policy, Anindya has garnered a wealth of experience, with deep throat in …Read More
Anindya Banerjee, Associate Editor brings over fifteen years of journalistic courage to the forefront. With a keen focus on politics and policy, Anindya has garnered a wealth of experience, with deep throat in … Read More
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