Pankaj Chaudhary, a seven-time MP and prominent Kurmi leader, was elected unopposed as the state president of the BJP on Sunday. A familiar and trusted figure in the Gorakhpur region, his nomination was proposed by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, as well as deputies Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak.

Chaudhary was the only BJP leader to submit nomination papers within the stipulated time. The post of state BJP president had remained vacant beyond its expected January 2025 timeline due to a series of elections, including in Maharashtra and Bihar, as well as bypoll in Uttar Pradesh.

Defence Minister and senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh was among the first to congratulate Chaudhary on becoming the state president. Describing him as a “grassroots man", he said he was a “dedicated and di

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