UP govt formation: J P Nadda meets Anupriya Patel and Sanjay Nishad

BJP president J P Nadda on Thursday met leaders of the party's allies in Uttar Pradesh -- Anupriya Patel of the Apna Dal(S) and Sanjay Nishad of the Nishad party -- at his residence here as part of its government formation exercise.

Nadda's meeting with the allies came a day after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath held deliberations with him as the party worked to firm up the composition of the new government following its thumping win in the assembly polls.

Nadda met Patel and Nishad separately along with BJP's Uttar Pradesh poll-incharge Dharmendra Pradhan and state unit chief Swatantra Dev Singh, and is believed to have discussed matter related to government formation.

While Adityanath is all but certain to occupy the top post, the BJP is grappling with the question whether to have deputy chief minister. It is also considering if outgoing deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya who lost the election can be reinstated in his old position.

Though the BJP secured a resounding win, Maurya lost his Sirathu seat.

The BJP had on Monday announced its former president and Union minister Amit Shah as the observer for government formation in Uttar Pradesh.

The BJP has been carrying out an extensive exercise to pick ministers in Uttar Pradesh, politically India's most important state where the party has been dominant since 2014.

A senior leader said they are taking into account a host of factors, including age, education, experience, gender, region and caste, to ensure that the new government is seen as socially representative and also reflective of the party's agenda of good governance.

Adityanath had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top leaders on Sunday. His meeting with the prime minister had lasted for more than 100 minutes.

Top BJP leaders, including Modi, Shah, Rajnath Singh and Nadda, have held extensive parleys in the last few days, working out the broad outlines of the new governments in four states, including Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, ahead of the swearing-in ceremonies expected next week.

The BJP won 255 seats out of 403 in Uttar Pradesh, while its allies Apna Dal (S) and Nirbal Indian Shoshit Hamara Aam Dal (Nishad party) bagged 12 and six seats, respectively.