Yogi is UP CM, Maurya, Sharma his deputies

Amid hectic parlays and meetings, firebrand BJP leader from Gorakhpur, Yogi Adityanath , was named as the chief minister designate for Uttar Pradesh. Adityanath would take oath as the chief minister on Sunday evening in Lucknow. State BJP chief Keshav Prasad Maurya and leader Dinesh Sharma have been appointed as deputy chief ministers.

His swearing in would be held at 2.15 pm on Sunday.

Several names propped up as possible Uttar Pradesh CMs since BJP's thumping win in the state last week. Initially, the speculation was that Rajnath Singh might be moved from the Union Cabinet to become UP CM.

There were rumours of Keshav Prasad Maurya being considered for the post.

On Friday, MoS Railways Manoj Sinha was said to be the front runner, and on Saturday noon Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma's name was being discussed by the scribes and political experts.

The meeting of UP MLAs to freeze on UP CM was held in Lucknow on Saturday in which over a 100 MLAs took part. Adityanath's supporters, who had gathered outside BJP office in Lucknow, raised slogans of



'Yogi, Yogi'. There were reports that Keshav Prasad Maurya's supporters had also carried out a march supporting their leader.

There were also reports that senior BJP leader and Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu held a meeting with Aditynath, Maurya and Anupriya Patel at a VVIP guest house. Later, Adityanath, Bupendra Yadav, Om Mathur, Keshav Maurya and Sunil Bhansal held a separate meeting.

It needs to noted that Adityanath is a controversial and communal figure in UP, but he has a strong following in eastern UP. The elevation of Adityanath to the top post may have serious implications on 2019 Lok Sabha polls. BJP had in 2014 won 73 Lok Sabha seats from UP.

Adityanath's relationship with the BJP has been a strained one. In 2006 he organised a Virat Hindu Mahasammelan at Gorakhpur, during the same period when the BJP was holding its National Executive meet in Lucknow. In 2007 the conflict furthered when Adityanath had demanded more than 100 seats in the Eastern UP region to go to his candidates. However, the BJP and Adityanath compromised with the RSS intervening.