New Delhi/Lucknow: The BJP on Thursday appointed Uttar Pradesh cabinet minister Bhupendra Chaudhary as the party's state chief, the choice being seen an attempt to counter the challenge posed by the SP-RLD combine in the western part of the state.
His appointment is also seen as the attempt to reach out to the influential Jat community, which was at the forefront of the year-long farmers' protest against the three contentious farm laws.
With the appointment of Chaudhary, also the state minister for Panchayati Raj, Uttar Pradesh has become the third state where the BJP will be headed by a Jat leader, after O P Dhankar in Haryana and Satish Poonia in Rajasthan. He replaces Swatantra Dev Singh, who has been made a minister in the Yogi Adityanath government.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath hailed Chaudhary's appointment.
"Hearty congratulations and best wishes to senior and popular politician Shri Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary ji on becoming the president of @BJP4UP,"Adityanath said in a Hindi tweet.
"Undoubtedly, under your energetic leadership, the BJP will set new benchmarks of success in the state with the spirit of 'sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas, sabka prayas'," Adityanath said.