Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath met Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday evening amid concerns among the BJP brass about popular disenchantment over handling of the Covid-19 pandemic in the most populous State. Adityanath is also likely to call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party chief J P Nadda during his two-day visit, sources said.

While Adityanath will meet Modi on Friday, his meeting with Nadda may take place on Thursday night itself or on Friday, the sources added.

While Adityanath was still with Shah, Anupriya Patel, a BJP ally and Apna Dal (S) leader, also entered the Home Minister’s residence.

“Met respected Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi as a courtesy and received his guidance. Heartfelt thanks to the respected Home Minister for his time,” the Chief Minister tweeted in Hindi along with a photo that showed him presenting to Shah a copy of the report “Solution of Migrant Crisis”.

Adityanath’s visit to Delhi also comes a day after Jitin Prasada, previously a prominent Congress leader, who comes from a well-known Brahmin family in Uttar Pradesh, switched over to the BJP. These meetings assume significance as the politically crucial State is scheduled for assembly polls early next year.

BJP's general secretary BL Santhosh had earlier this month visited the State to review the party’s preparations for the assembly elections. Senior BJP leader Radha Mohan Singh had also visited Lucknow although there is not much likelihood of Adityanath getting replaced as CM. The expectation, however, is that the UP Cabinet will be expanded to balance caste equations and have people with administrative experience in the Cabinet.

comment COMMENT NOW