Names of several UP Ministers under discussion for 2024 LS polls

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which is preparing for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, aiming to retain power for the third time, is likely to name some senior ministers in the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh cabinet for next year's general elections.

According to sources in the know of things, the names of several leaders, including Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, are being discussed.

The party had a successful outing in the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections when Maurya was the state unit chief of the BJP.

The sources said discussions were also underway on the prospects of fielding another Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Brajesh Pathak.

Pathak, who began his political journey as a member of the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party, was a Lok Sabha member from Unnao constituency. Pathak, who was once considered quite close to Mayawati, joined the BJP in 2016.

He then contested the Assembly polls in 2017 from Lucknow Central and went on to become a minister in the Chief Minister Adityanath cabinet. He was named the deputy of Adityanath after he was elected to the Assembly from Lucknow Cantt seat.

The BJP is also planning to field Jitin Prasada in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Prasada, a former Congress leader, had been a Minister in the erstwhile Manmohan Singh-led Central government.

However, after disappointing results in the subsequent Lok Sabha outings, he joined the BJP in 2021. Currently, he is a minister in the Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh Cabinet.

Another UP Minister whose name is being discussed for the Lok Sabha polls is Rakesh Sachan.

Besides, Cabinet Minister Jaiveer Singh, who began his political journey as a Congress member and had been a Minister in the Mayawati-led UP government, is also one of the names that is being considered for the general elections.

The BJP is also planning to field another UP Minister, Naresh Kashyap, who was expelled from the BSP in 2016, following which, he joined the saffron party next year.

The party has also been discussing names such as Daya Shankar Mishra 'Dayalu', Pilibhit MLA Sanjay Gangwar, Agra Rural MLA Baby Rani Maurya among others -- all ministers in the Adityanath-led UP Cabinet, said sources.

Mathura MLA Shrikant Sharma, who was a minister in the previous tenure of Adityanath, could also be fielded in the 2024 polls.

RPN Singh, who was a minister in the Manmohan Singh cabinet, is also one of the names in discussion for the 2024 polls. Singh joined the BJP in 2022 ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.