Lucknow: In July 2023, PM Narendra Modi, during a visit to Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur, called on BJP MP Pankaj Chaudhary at his residence but did not go to the Gorakhnath temple, of which CM Yogi Adityanath is chief priest. Choudhary has since remained in the spotlight, with speculation that he could be entrusted with a significant role in the party.
Two years later, Chaudhary looks set to become the next Uttar Pradesh BJP president. He was the only one who filed his nomination papers for the post at the party office Saturday.
The 61-year-old is currently Union Minister of State for Finance and a seven-time MP from the Maharajganj Lok Sabha constituency in Gorakhpur zone. Hailing from the Kurmi community, he is said to enjoy the blessings of Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
A prominent non-Yadav OBC face from UP east, Chaudhary defeated Congress candidate Virendra Chaudhary by a margin of over 35,000 votes in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and was subsequently appointed Union Minister of State for Finance.
आज लखनऊ में भाजपा उत्तर प्रदेश के अध्यक्ष पद हेतु माननीय मुख्यमंत्री योगी आदित्यनाथ जी, माननीय उप मुख्यमंत्री श्री केशव प्रसाद मौर्य जी, माननीय उप मुख्यमंत्री श्री ब्रजेश पाठक जी, माननीय जल शक्ति मंत्री श्री स्वतंत्र देव सिंह जी की उपस्थिति में नामांकन पत्र दाखिल किया।
इस अवसर… pic.twitter.com/0ltpIXLobR
— Pankaj Chaudhary (@mppchaudhary) December 13, 2025
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Why only Pankaj Chaudhary?
Chaudhary, though hailing from the Gorakhpur belt, has never been regarded as part of CM Adityanath’s closed circle. However, he was seen as a high command choice for Uttar Pradesh as the BJP was said to be looking for a non-Yadav OBC face to replace incumbent state chief Bhupendra Chaudhary, a Jat leader from western UP who is also known as a neutral voice in party circles.
Speaking to ThePrint, a senior BJP leader from eastern UP said Pankaj Chaudhary is the only BJP leader in the Gorakhpur zone with an appeal independent of Adityanath.
“He is senior to the UP chief minister in terms of political experience, having entered Parliament in 1991. Though he keeps a low profile, he has enjoyed a positive standing with the high command from the very beginning,” the leader said.
He is also considered close to former UP BJP chief Ramapati Tripathi, whom he regards as his political guru, and is also seen as part of Rajnath Singh’s circle. Even Modi, the leader said, is impressed by Chaudhary’s humility and connect with voters.
“I remember in 2023, when the Prime Minister visited his house in Gorakhpur, the car had to stop nearly 150 metres away as the house is located in a narrow lane. The PM stepped out and walked the rest of the distance. That visit sent a clear message at the time and the outcome is there now for everyone to see,” he said.
BJP sources claim that a few days ago, during a meeting of senior leaders chaired by BJP general secretary (organisation) B.L. Santhosh, it was suggested that the party should appoint a leader from the Kurmis, considered the second-largest OBC group in UP after Yadavs, as state president.
Both Swatantra Dev Singh (another Kurmi face) and Pankaj Chaudhary were considered. Singh had served as state president during the 2022 assembly elections and was seen as a strong contender for a second term. However, he is perceived to be close to Adityanath. The party, therefore, decided to opt for Chaudhary, who does not share the same level of rapport with the Chief Minister, said sources.
According to BJP sources, Santhosh made it clear during the meeting that the organisation and the government are two separate entities though they share a common goal, and that the party high command would take the final call. He indirectly hinted that the high command wanted to appoint its pick as state chief. A day before Chaudhary’s nomination, Santhosh visited Lucknow to meet CM Yogi Adityanath. Party functionaries say it was during this meeting that he conveyed the high command’s message.
Sources close to Yogi Adityanath told ThePrint he never endorsed a candidate for the post of state BJP chief. Even Swatantra Dev Singh, they said, was initially the Centre’s choice but later grew close to the CM, something that may have cost him the post this time.
“The party high command appears to view the organisation and the government as parallel but distinct entities,” a functionary at the Chief Minister’s Office said.
‘Experienced, uncontroversial’
Pankaj Chaudhary comes from a politically active family. His mother, Ujjwal Chaudhary, previously served as Maharajganj district panchayat president. He started his own political career as a member of the Gorakhpur Municipal Corporation in 1989. He later served as deputy mayor of the municipal corporation for a year.
In 1991, the BJP fielded him from the Maharajganj Lok Sabha constituency, a seat he retained until 1999, when he was defeated by Samajwadi Party’s Akhilesh Singh. He regained the seat in 2004 but lost to Congress candidate Harsh Vardhan in 2009. In 2014, he won the constituency again and has represented it in the Lok Sabha since.
Chaudhary’s family also owns Harbansram Bhagwandas, a well-known company that manufactures the ayurvedic oil Rahat Rooh. According to the affidavit he filed for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Chaudhary declared assets worth Rs 41.9 crore.
Although Chaudhary has limited experience with organisational responsibilities, many within the BJP said he would do justice to the role with guidance from the Centre. During the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Amit Shah, while addressing a public meeting in support of Chaudhary, described him as “among the most experienced parliamentarians in the BJP”.
“Even if you search far and wide, you will not find an MP like him,” Shah said.
A senior Uttar Pradesh BJP leader told ThePrint: “After the setback in 2024, the party realised the importance of reaching out to non-Yadav OBCs, particularly the Kurmi community, which constitutes the second-largest segment among OBCs after Yadavs. The Samajwadi Party is also actively wooing them, making it necessary to project a Kurmi face as the state BJP chief. Moreover, he is a seasoned politician.”
“He is a low-key leader who stays away from controversies and avoids making provocative statements. He maintains regular contact with local party workers while also remaining closely connected with the top leadership,” the leader added.
Another party leader told ThePrint that Chaudhary gained advantage because he is not considered close to Adityanath. “Despite belonging to the same Gorakhpur zone, Chaudhary and Yogi do not share a good rapport. They have rarely been seen together at party events in Gorakhpur or Maharajganj in the past. You rarely find pictures of their one-on-one meetings. Though they never opposed each other in public, now they will now have to come together for Mission 2027 (assembly polls),” the leader said.
Congress leader Virendra Chaudhary, who contested against Pankaj Chaudhary in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, however, questioned this assessment.
“The BJP may have chosen him as state chief because he is a Kurmi leader, but if he truly enjoyed such widespread acceptance among Kurmis, how did I secure over 5.5 lakh votes against him? I too belong to the Kurmi community,” he said.
He further argued that Kurmi voting behaviour differs from that of other castes. “Kurmis follow district-level leadership and are unlikely to fall into the BJP’s trap,” he added.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
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