Will BJP choose Smriti Irani as CM candidate for upcoming Uttar Pradesh polls

New Delhi, May 29: The BJP's campaign machinery is now focusing on poll bound Uttar Pradesh in order brace up for the 2017 assembly elections. A victory in UP polls means a mammoth, which in 2014 general elections swayed the electorate to BJP's favour.

A key aspect that BJP is looking at is CM candidature. The core team of the BJP has kicked of deliberations as to who will be apt for the CM candidate for upcoming UP assembly elections.

According to top sources in the BJP, the party is looking at Smriti Irani. In other words BJP is mulling to put incumbent HRD Minister Smriti Irani as CM candidate for the UP. If all goes well in the elections for the BJP, Smriti Irani may hold the Chief Minister post of the UP.

Multiple sources to whom OneIndia spoke to stressed Smriti Irani has the backing of Narendra Modi to be the CM candidate but opposition comes from a faction in the BJP led by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in which External Affair Minister Sushma Swaraj is a member too. But in all likelihood Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitely a lead of another team bat for Smriti Irani.

Smriti enjoys more points in all deliberations of CM candidate as she is a favourite one for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sources pointed.

On the other hand party workers in Uttar Pradesh has a different voice. Party workers are consolidating voice for fire brand leader Varun Gandhi for CM candidate. Grass root level cadre is of the view that Smriti has lost 2014 general elections against Rahul Gandhi and Varun Gandhi has mass popularity and knows in and out of Uttar Pradesh.

However, these claims of party workers will be backed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh team and will cited as reason to stop pitching of Irani as CM candidate till the last try. But if all goes well, Irani will be named as CM candidate for UP, sources told.

OneIndia News