BJP MLAs to elect UP leader today; Sinha among front runners
Shahira Naim
Tribune News Service
Lucknow, March 18
It is now an open secret that Ghazipur MP and Union Minister For Communications And Railways Manoj Sinha‘s name has been finalised as Uttar Pradesh’s next Chief Minister. The confirmation at the BJP legislators meeting in the evening is now a mere formality.
Union Minister Manoj Sinha also prayed at Sankat Mochan Mandir after visiting Kaal Bhairav and Kashi Vishvanath temples
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Sinha on Saturday visited Sankat Mochan Mandir after visiting Kaal Bhairav and Kashi Vishvanath temples in Varanasi
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While Manoj Sinha, a Bhumihar (upper caste) claims that he is not in the race for the Uttar Pradesh chief minister indications suggest that is clearly the front runner for the post of 32nd chief minister of Uttar Pradesh.
His low profile and hardworking track record has reportedly found favour with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah.
Alumni of IIT-BHU and a former president of the BHU students union Sinha visited Varanasi early this morning to pay obeisance at the revered Kashi Vishwanath, Sankat Mochan and Kaal Bhairav temples.
After that he proceeded to his ancestral district of Ghazipur where he paid his respects at the temple of his ‘kul devta’ at his from where he has proceeded towards Varanasi.
Due to maintenance work on the runway of Babtpur airport in Varanasi it is closed till 6 pm. Sources claim that the BJP is arranging a chopper or chartered plane may bring Sinha to Lucknow.
Meanwhile, UP observer and Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu arrived in Lucknow to attend the BJP’s legislature party’s meeting at Lok Bhawan.
Interestingly the meeting of the 312 BJP MLAs is being held at the newly constructed chief minister’s secretariat complex built by outgoing chief minister Akhilesh Yadav adjacent to the BJP state headquarters.
Sources inform that retired UP cadre IAS Nripendra Mishra attached to the PMO has arrived in Lucknow. Well versed with the UP bureaucracy he may facilitate the process of reorganising the bureaucracy.
Meanwhile, supporters of the BJP state president, Keshav Prasad Maurya, held protests outside the BJP office in Lucknow in support of Maurya getting the top post.
Believed to be a strong candidate due to his OBC background Maurya appears to have lost out in the race apparently due to his criminal antecedents and lack of administrative experience.
Meanwhile, preparations are on at the Smriti Upvan at Ashiana for the swearing-in on Sunday to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP state president Amit Shah and a host of other dignitiaries.
DGP Javeed Ahmed and Lucknow SSP Manzil Saini are personally supervising the foolproof security arrangements for the occasion.
Chief secretary Rahul Bhatnagar has held a review meeting for the preparations for the oath ceremony. The return of a BJP government in UP after 14 year vanvas would be witnessed by a galaxy of leaders from the saffron family and the 325 MLAs of the BJP and its allies.
