Pankaj Choudhary Set to Become UP BJP President

Lucknow, Dec 2025 : Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Choudhary is poised to be appointed as the president of the Uttar Pradesh BJP, with a major event likely in Lucknow on Sunday. He is expected to file his nomination papers today in the presence of Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and National Secretary Vinod Tawde.

Choudhary, a seven-time MP from Maharajganj, comes from a politically active family. His mother, Ujjwal Choudhary, served as president of the Maharajganj District Panchayat. Pankaj Choudhary graduated from Gorakhpur University and began his political career with local elections, serving as a member of the Gorakhpur Municipal Council from 1989 to 1991. He has been associated with the BJP since 1990 and was appointed Minister of State for Finance during Prime Minister Modi’s second term.

Belonging to the Kurmi community, Choudhary represents a significant OBC group in Uttar Pradesh. Kurmis are the second-largest OBC voter base in the state, after Yadavs, comprising 8 to 10 percent of the electorate, influencing at least 30 to 40 assembly seats. They are particularly strong in the Terai, Kashi, Gorakhpur, Awadh, and Rohilkhand regions.

Choudhary’s appointment follows the elevation of Santosh Gangwar as governor, and the BJP is seen as strategically positioning a Backward Caste leader as state president ahead of the 2027 assembly elections. Party leaders expect his leadership to strengthen BJP’s outreach among OBC voters and consolidate its position in critical regions of Uttar Pradesh.

With his experience, political lineage, and community influence, Pankaj Choudhary is considered a natural choice to lead the party in the state, reflecting BJP’s focus on inclusive representation and strategic electoral planning.