Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh – As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) gears up to announce its new Uttar Pradesh (UP) state president on December 14, all eyes are on seven-time Member of Parliament (MP) Pankaj Chaudhary, who has emerged as a leading contender for the position. The nomination process is scheduled for today, December 13, marking a crucial step in the BJP's organizational election process.

The selection of a new state president is particularly significant in Uttar Pradesh, the state with the highest number of Lok Sabha seats, especially with the upcoming Panchayat elections and the 2027 Assembly polls on the horizon. The new president is expected to lead the party organizationally in these crucial elections.

Pankaj Chaudhary, currently serving as the Union Minister of State for Finance, is a seasoned politician with a long history in Uttar Pradesh politics. Born on November 20, 1964, Chaudhary began his political career at the local level, serving as a member of the Gorakhpur Municipal Corporation from 1989 to 1991, and also as the Deputy Mayor of Gorakhpur during the same period. He became a member of the BJP working committee in 1990, solidifying his affiliation with the party.

Chaudhary was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1991, representing the Maharajganj constituency, and has since been elected six more times. He won consecutive terms in 1996 and 1998, lost in 1999, and then won again in 2004, 2014, 2019 and 2024. His consistent parliamentary presence has allowed him to contribute to various committees, including those related to railways, science and technology, and public undertakings. He has also served on the Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests, and the Committee on Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS).

Pankaj Chaudhary belongs to the Kurmi caste, which falls under the Other Backward Class (OBC) category, making him a potentially strategic choice for the BJP as it aims to strengthen its outreach to OBC communities.

Other names circulating as potential candidates for the UP BJP president post include B.L. Verma, Ram Shankar Katheria, and Dharampal Singh. There is also speculation that the party might choose a surprise candidate.

The BJP has appointed Union Minister Piyush Goyal and BJP national general secretary Vinod Tawde as election officers for the process. Nominations for the state president position will be filed today, December 13, with scrutiny of the nominations taking place later in the day. The official announcement of the new state president is expected on December 14.

The BJP leadership has emphasized its commitment to a transparent electoral process, contrasting it with other parties. Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya stated that the BJP follows a democratic process, unlike the Samajwadi Party, which he characterized as a "one-family party".

As the BJP moves closer to announcing its new UP state president, the focus remains on whether Pankaj Chaudhary's extensive experience and OBC background will make him the chosen leader to guide the party through the upcoming elections.