Kurmi face ahead of 2027: MoS Finance Pankaj Chaudhary likely to be next UP BJP chief

Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary is set to become the next president of the Uttar Pradesh BJP, sources told news agency PTI on Saturday. He was the sole candidate to file nomination papers for the post on Saturday. Chaudhary submitted his nomination to former Union Minister and BJP state election officer Mahendra Nath Pandey in the presence of central election observer Vinod Tawde. 

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, and Jal Shakti Minister Swatantra Dev Singh were also present during the filing of papers. Pandey said the party's central election officer and Union minister Piyush Goyal would formally announce the new state president on Sunday.

Who is Pankaj Chaudhary?

Chaudhary began his political career at the grassroots level, serving as a member of the Gorakhpur Municipal Corporation between 1989 and 1991. During this period, he also held the post of Deputy Mayor for a year, building his political base in eastern Uttar Pradesh.

A seven-time Member of Parliament from the Maharajganj parliamentary constituency, Chaudhary is considered a trusted confidante of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. A senior leader from the Kurmi community, categorised under the Other Backward Classes (OBC), his elevation comes at a time when the BJP is preparing for the upcoming panchayat elections and the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.

Political observers say that caste and regional equations play a key role in the selection of the BJP's state president in a politically crucial state like Uttar Pradesh. The Kurmi community holds significant influence within the OBC electorate across the state and had shown a tilt towards the Samajwadi Party in the 2024 Lok Sabha and 2022 Assembly elections.

The BJP has previously appointed Kurmi leaders as state presidents on three occasions, including former MP Vinay Katiyar, former minister Om Prakash Singh and Swatantra Dev Singh.

Apart from politics, Chaudhary is also a prominent businessman. He owns Harbanshram Bhagwandas Ayurvedic Sansthan Pvt Ltd, a company that manufactures the Ayurvedic oil "Rahat Rooh." The oil enjoys wide popularity in Uttar Pradesh, particularly in the Purvanchal belt. His business background has contributed to his image as an influential leader.