Minister, Jat leader Bhupendra Chaudhary is BJP's new UP chief
Uttar Pradesh minister and influential Jat leader Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary has been chosen as the new state chief by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The decision is being viewed as a significant political play due to Chaudhary's perceived ability to garner Jat community votes for the 2024 polls. BJP made the announcement as part of the ongoing shuffling of top-level posts in several states.
Who is Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary?
Chaudhary hails from Western UP and is an influential leader in the area's Jat community. His appointment may help the BJP garner farmer votes in the upcoming 2024 general elections, hence reducing the impact of year-long farmer protests at Delhi's borders. He is the Minister of Panchayati Raj in the Yogi Adityanath cabinet, who later praised Chaudhary's 'energetic leadership'.
Impact on 2024 polls
According to analysts, Chaudhary's appointment may reduce the influence of the Samajwadi Party (SP)-Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) alliance in Western UP or 'the sugarcane land'. The Jat community can influence the decision in about 20 Lok Sabha seats, according to NDTV. Chaudhary has been appointed in place of Swatantra Dev Singh, who is an OBC leader in southern UP.
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Jat influence in Uttar Pradesh
The Jat community from Western UP was at the forefront of the farmers protests last year, and many expressed disappointment with BJP during the 2022 state elections. Chaudhary's appointment may also strike a regional balance as the CM hails from Eastern UP. After Rajasthan (Satish Poonia) and Haryana (OP Dhankar), UP will become the third state to have a Jat leader as its chief.
Who are the other state chiefs?
The BJP also appointed Rajiv Bhattacharya as its Tripura chief and Saudan Singh as the Himachal Pradesh chief. Bhattacharya replaces Manik Saha as the state chief. Singh's appointment is also crucial as Himachal Pradesh will go to polls this November.
