Dharmendra Pradhan, Anurag Thakur among BJP’s poll in-charge for UP

With a keen eye on Assembly polls in five states next year, the BJP has picked its top leaders to handle the election preparation. Dharmendra Pradhan, Anurag Thakur, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Annapruna Devi and Shobha Karandlaje — Union Ministers all — will be overseeing poll preparations in Uttar Pradesh.

According to an NDTV report, former Haryana Minister Captain Abimanyu and Rajya Sabha MP Saroj Pandey are also likely to be deployed in the state, where a win is crucial for the BJP.

Lok Sabha MP Sanjeev Bhatia will handle western UP, while the party’s national vice treasurer Sudhir Gupta will be in charge of poll preparation in Kanpur and Arvind Menon in Gorakhpur, the report added.

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The ongoing farmers’ protest is likely to be the BJP’s biggest challenge in the UP election. On Sunday, farmer leader Rakesh Tikait launched a campaign against the BJP in Muzzafarnagar, recalled the report. The protestors plan to sustain the campaign over the next six months.

The Punjab battle

In Punjab, where the BJP is already in the opposition, it is facing a lot of farmer ire over the controversial agri laws. For this state, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat will helm election preparation. Union Ministers Hardeep Singh Puri, Meenakshi Lekhi and Lok Sabha MP Vinod Chawda will also be involved, said NDTV.

The ruling Congress is not expected to have an easy return to power as it struggles with internal strife — between Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and his party colleague Navjot Singh Sidhu. The Akali Dal and AAP are also seen to give a tough fight in the state.

Preparation in Goa, Manipur, Uttarakhand

Former Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis will be in charge of the BJP’s poll preparation in Goa. Union Minister G Kishan Reddy will be the co incharge, assisted by junior minister Darshana Jardosh, said the report.

In Manipur, Union Cabinet Minister Bhupendra Yadav will be in charge. Junior Minister Pratibha Bhaumik is the co incharge along with Ashok Singhal, said NDTV.

In Uttarakhand, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi, Locket Chatterjee and RP Singh will handle the poll preparations.