Lucknow,

13 Dec (HS): Political circles are suddenly abuzz with activity surrounding

Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Choudhary. According to sources, the

BJP is preparing to give him a major party responsibility in the state. His

candidacy is also believed to be an attempt to weaken the SP's PDA's bid for

the upcoming assembly elections. Pankaj belongs to the Kurmi (OBC) community, a

significant and important vote bank in Uttar Pradesh. While the party already

boasts several prominent OBC leaders, a bid for Pankaj could bring new energy

and thinking. Due

to his strong hold in the top leadership of the party and the Rashtriya

Swayamsevak Sangh and his image of a leader available to all, he is being

considered a stronger face than other leaders vying for this post.

Assembly

elections in UP after a year away: The election for the BJP's state president

is scheduled for December 14. Assembly elections are also due in Uttar Pradesh

in about a year. Therefore, the party wants to send a political message through

the face of the state president.

The

SP's PDA's successful bid is believed to be behind the party's poor performance

in the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh. Consequently, the BJP is seeking

to regain its hold among backward class voters in the next election. To this

end, Pankaj Chaudhary is a political arrow in its quiver, which could prove

beneficial for the party's Mission 2027 campaign.

The

name of Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary has brought joy to

the core BJP workers of Maharajganj. Party workers believe that Pankaj

Chaudhary's position within the party has always been secure. This is why the

party has always placed its trust in him during elections. Apart from his

strong hold on the backward community, he never faced any stagnation within the

organization. From the very beginning, he fulfilled the responsibilities

entrusted to him by the party with exemplary steadfastness and continued to move

forward.

Even

his opponents praise his personality: Despite serving as a Member of Parliament

seven times, his closeness to the public hasn't diminished. He believes in

direct communication with party workers. Political experts say Pankaj Chaudhary

could prove to be a significant force in attracting the traditional Kurmi vote

from Apna Dal and other allies. Along with his close ties to the Sangh, he is

also considered a favorite among party cadre leaders. He has also demonstrated

his skillful strategy in elections. He is considered a strong leader of the

backward community in the state.

BJP

worker Dr. Shanti Sharan Mishra says this will be a matter of pride for

Maharajganj. If the party entrusts the Union Minister of State for Finance with

this responsibility, it will be beneficial. He pointed out that Prime Minister

Narendra Modi, who attended the Gita Press centenary celebrations, went to

Pankaj Chaudhary's home without any program or protocol, thus enhancing his

stature. PM Modi had to walk through narrow lanes to reach his home. This

attention from PM Modi increased Pankaj's stature in eastern Uttar Pradesh and

strengthened his hold on the Kurmi community.

Started

his political journey as a councillor: Born on November 15, 1964, Pankaj

Chaudhary, the younger son of the late Gorakhpur industrialist Bhagwati

Chaudhary and former District Panchayat President Ujjwal Chaudhary, began his

political career as a councilor of the Gorakhpur Municipal Corporation in 1989.

In 1990, he became a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party's District Working

Committee. He was elected as a Member of Parliament from the Maharajganj

parliamentary constituency on a BJP ticket in the 10th Lok Sabha in 1991. He

was elected as a Member of Parliament in the 11th and 12th Lok Sabhas in 1996

and 1998 respectvely. He lost to Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party in 1999

but was re-elected in 2004. He lost to the late Harsh Vardhan of the Congress

in 2009. He has been a member of the Lok Sabha continuously since 2014.

List

of 464 voters released for BJP state president election: The voter list for the

much-anticipated election of the BJP state president was released on Friday. It

includes a total of 464 voters, including five MPs, 26 MLAs, eight MLCs, and

425 provincial council members and district presidents. Nomination papers will

be filed on Saturday under the supervision of the party's national general

secretary and central election observer, Vinod Tawde. Both Deputy Chief

Ministers have been entrusted with the responsibility of conducting the

elections. State Organization Election Officer and former Union Minister Dr.

Mahendra Nath Pandey released the detailed schedule for the state president

election on Friday. Nomination papers will be filed on December 13 from 2 to 3

pm.

There

is a hold in the Kurmi community: His strong hold within the Kurmi community

and influence among other communities has made him a powerful figure in

district politics. His strong hold within the Kurmi community, along with his

social engineering skills within other communities, has convinced even his

opponents. Since Maharajganj became a district after separating from Gorakhpur,

the BJP has dominated the district panchayat. His brother Pradeep Chaudhary and

mother Ujjwala Chaudhary have served as district panchayat presidents. Even

after reservation changes, his trusted associates have been elected to this

position, demonstrating the success of his political strategy.

Birth

and background: Pankaj Chaudhary, a resident of Harivansh Gali, Sheikhpur,

Gorakhpur, was born on November 20, 1964, to Bhagwati Prasad Chaudhary. He is a

graduate of Gorakhpur University. His family includes his wife, Bhagyashree,

son, Rohan Chaudhary, and a daughter.

His

political journey is as follows:

1989-91

Member, Municipal Corporation, Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh.

1990-91

Deputy Mayor, Municipal Corporation, Gorakhpur.

1990-

Member, Working Committee, Bharatiya Janata Party.

1991-

Elected to the 10th Lok Sabha (1st term)

1991-96

Member, Committee on Papers Laid on the Table and Member, Committee on Science

and Technology, Environment and Forests.

1998

- Re-elected to 12th Lok Sabha

2004

- Re-elected to the 14th Lok Sabha

2014-

Re-elected to the 16th Lok Sabha

2019-

Re-elected to the 17th Lok Sabha

2024-

Re-elected to the 18th Lok Sabha

Pankaj

Chaudhary lost only in 1999 and 2009

Continuously

serving minister in the Modi government at the Centre since 2021

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi