Nadda on UP trip; likely to discuss state cabinet rejig, bypolls

Newly appointed BJP working president J P Nadda arrived here Friday evening on a two-day visit to Uttar Pradesh, with a cabinet rejig and assembly bypolls apparently high on his agenda.

Nadda, who played a pivotal role in the Lok Sabha polls as the party's Uttar Pradesh unit in-charge, was greeted with loud cheers and beating of the drums as he came out of the Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, his two deputies Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma, other state ministers and party leaders were present at the airport to receive Nadda with garlands and bouquets.

Party workers also lined parts of the route to the BJP's state headquarters, showering flowers at his vehicle at places.

BJP flags fluttered at many places along the 15-km route from the airport to the party office, and also at some of the city's major roads.

Arches in saffron colour were erected to welcome Nadda, who was appointed BJP's working president on June 17 after party chief Amit Shah became Union home minister.

Nadda will meet party leaders and discuss organisational matters including a membership drive, party spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi said Thursday.

The party leaders are expected to discuss the upcoming bye-elections to 12 assembly seats. Eleven of them fell vacant after the MLAs found berths in the Lok Sabha following the recent parliamentary elections.

"After the party's exceptionally good performance in the Lok Sabha elections, it will face a test to prove its supremacy in the bye-elections," Tripathi had said.

Other issues on Nadda's agenda include expansion of Adityanath cabinet to fill vacancies created after three ministers were elected to the Lok Sabha and the parting of ways with alliance partner Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, whose president Om Prakash Rajbhar was also a minister.

With UP BJP chief Mahendra Nath Pandey being inducted into the Union cabinet, Nadda is also likely to discuss finding a replacement.

On the second day of his UP visit, Nadda will join Narendra Modi in Varanasi Saturday when the prime minister kicks off a BJP membership drive.