Uttar Pradesh BJP organized grand welcomes for its new president Pankaj Chaudhary during his first statewide tour, featuring a 12,000-vehicle convoy and flower showers. These events were arranged due to his limited prior organizational roles, allowing party workers to interact with him. Chaudhary held meetings across regions, urging preparations for the 2027 assembly elections.
Pankaj Chaudhary assumed charge as Uttar Pradesh BJP president on December 14. His first statewide tour began on December 27 in the Braj region's Mathura and Agra districts. The next day, he traveled from Ghaziabad to Meerut for a meeting of the western UP region.
On January 12, Chaudhary convened a meeting of Awadh region party leaders and workers in Ayodhya. En route from Lucknow to Ayodhya over 130 km, he was welcomed at 55 places, with about 12,000 vehicles joining the cavalcade in the final leg. The journey took nearly 10 hours.
In Gorakhpur, his home turf, he received welcomes at nearly 50 places from the airport to the party office, Gorakhnath temple, and his residence. Similar grand receptions occurred in the Kashi, Braj, and Paschim regions. In Awadh and Paschim, activists used JCBs to shower flowers on him.
Of the BJP's six regional units in UP, only the Kanpur region remains for Chaudhary's visit. Party insiders noted that while former presidents received big welcomes, the scale for Chaudhary is unprecedented.
A party leader explained, “Chaudhary is a seven-term MP from Maharajganj and Union Minister of State for Finance, but his involvement in political affairs outside his constituency has been limited. He has never held any organizational post in UP BJP. These welcome meetings allow party workers to interact with the new president.” Such interactions will aid in forming his new state team and rejigging regional and district committees.
During visits, Chaudhary met regional office-bearers down to the mandal level and local elected representatives, appealing to gear up for the 2027 assembly elections.
As a Kurmi OBC, the red-carpet treatment counters the Samajwadi Party's PDA push. The BJP relies on allies like Apna Dal (S), SBSP, Nishad Party, and RLD for OBC votes.
UP BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi stated, “Welcoming new state presidents is a BJP tradition, and such programs on a grand scale have been organized in the past too. This time, it looks grander because the BJP's strength has increased.”
With the Election Commission's special intensive revision of electoral rolls underway, legislative council polls approaching, panchayat elections later this year, and assembly polls just 13 months away, the timing is crucial. New joiners seek organizational roles and tickets, using these events to display strength.
