Battle for UP: Yogi Adityanath to file nomination on Friday

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will file his nomination papers from Gorakhpur (Urban) on Friday.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, party president J.P. Nadda, Uttar Pradesh election in charge Dharmendra Pradhan and the state's BJP president Swatantra dev Singh are scheduled to accompany the Chief Minister when he files nomination papers in Gorakhpur.

The rallying of top BJP leaders for the nomination of Yogi Adityanath will turn the heat up in the politically crucial east Uttar Pradesh region.

Sources said the party's organisational units in Gorakhpur and adjoining districts have been asked to turn the event into a mega affair, keeping Covid protocols in mind.

Yogi, who will reach Gorakhpur on Thursday afternoon, will hold a meeting with district level functionaries and booth-level presidents.

He will be staying in Gorakhpur till Saturday and will take part in various party events that are a part of campaigning.

BJP also plans to throw its organisational strength behind Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya when he files his nomination papers on Thursday.

Maurya had won the Sirathu seat for the first time for BJP in 2012.

After Maurya got elected from Phulpur in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Samajwadi Party's Vachaspati won the Sirathu seat in the by-poll.

In 2017, however, the BJP's Sheetla Prasad defeated Vachaspati and won back the seat.

This time, Maurya will be pitted against SP's Pallavi Patel, the estranged sister of Union Minister of State and Apna Dal (S) chief Anupriya Patel.

BJP sources said the rallying of party brass at nomination filing of Maurya would help in giving him a high ground over his rivals.