Nadda meets BJP UP's top brass amid buzz of rift
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President JP Nadda held separate meetings with Uttar Pradesh's Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya and state BJP president Bhupender Chaudhary on Saturday amid reports of a rift within the party. These meeting have sparked speculation about potential changes in the party's structure following a disappointing performance in the Lok Sabha elections. The BJP's seat count in Uttar Pradesh dropped from 62 in 2019 to 33, contributing to the party's overall decline from 303 to 240.
Possible role changes amid internal dissatisfaction
Neither Maurya nor Chaudhary revealed the details of their meetings with Nadda. However, there is speculation that a change in roles could be on the horizon. A party functionary suggested that Maurya, an OBC representative of the party with RSS support, might be given an organizational position. This speculation emerged amid reports of Maurya's discontent with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as allegedly indicated from his absence from recent cabinet meetings.
Maurya's criticism and Adityanath's response
Maurya has reportedly shared his assessment of the election outcome with the party high command. At a state executive meeting, he emphasized that the party organization holds more importance than the government and no individual is bigger than the organization, allegedly taking a hit at Adityanath and his administration. Adityanath, however, attributed the BJP's electoral losses to overconfidence and a shifting of votes. Notably, state BJP chief Chaudhary dismissed any internal discord within the party.
