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The anticipated announcements would help BJP clarify its campaign strategy in both states and shift political conversation towards governance, development and electoral priorities.
With the next Assembly polls approaching, the BJP’s decision to back both incumbent chief ministers is expected to provide clarity on the party’s leadership strategy in the two states. (Photos: PTI)
The BJP is expected to contest the upcoming Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand under the leadership of Chief Ministers Yogi Adityanath and Pushkar Singh Dhami, respectively, top party sources told CNN-News18. A formal announcement from the party’s central leadership is expected in the coming days.
The expected move assumes significance amid continuing political speculation over the BJP’s leadership strategy in Uttar Pradesh. Opposition parties, particularly the Samajwadi Party (SP), have sought to portray the party’s emphasis on collective leadership as a sign of differences between the state unit and the central leadership.
BJP sources, however, maintain that there is no ambiguity within the party over Adityanath’s leadership in Uttar Pradesh.
“CM Yogi Adityanath has established his own political standing through his work and connect with the people. There is no reason for the party to look beyond him in Uttar Pradesh,” a BJP source said, adding that the final decision would be communicated through official channels.
The leadership debate has continued despite BJP president Nitin Nabin indicating earlier that Adityanath would remain the party’s face in Uttar Pradesh. However, questions have persisted over whether the central leadership would formally endorse him as the principal face of the Assembly election campaign.
The Samajwadi Party has sought to use the uncertainty surrounding the BJP’s messaging to suggest that competing power centres exist within the party. BJP leaders, meanwhile, argue that the emphasis on collective leadership reflects the party’s organisational approach rather than any uncertainty over its chief ministerial leadership.
“Collective leadership does not mean that the party is unsure of its leader. It means that the organisation, the government and the central leadership work together. In Uttar Pradesh, Yogi ji’s role is well understood within the party,” another BJP source said.
At A Glance
The BJP will contest upcoming Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand under incumbent Chief Ministers Yogi Adityanath and Pushkar Singh Dhami.
Yogi Adityanath has served as Uttar Pradesh chief minister since 2017 following the BJP-led NDA winning more than 300 seats in the 403-member Assembly.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won 33 seats in Uttar Pradesh and swept all five seats in Uttarakhand.
During the 2022 Assembly elections, the BJP secured 255 seats in Uttar Pradesh and 47 seats in Uttarakhand to retain power.
BJP Likely To Project Dhami In Uttarakhand
In Uttarakhand, the BJP is also expected to project incumbent Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami as its principal face for the Assembly elections.
Dhami has remained central to the party’s political strategy in the state, with the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) emerging as a key part of his government’s agenda. Uttarakhand became the first state in independent India to implement a state-level UCC, a move the BJP has highlighted as a significant governance initiative.
At 50, Dhami also represents a relatively young leadership profile for the party, combining administrative experience with an appeal to younger voters.
A BJP functionary said the party would focus on its governance record and electoral agenda rather than allow the Opposition to dominate the debate over leadership.
“The opposition wants to turn every statement about collective leadership into a controversy. Our focus is on taking the government’s work to the people and preparing for the elections,” the party leader said.
The anticipated announcements would help the BJP clarify its campaign strategy in both states and shift the political conversation towards governance, development and electoral priorities.
For now, the party appears set to favour continuity by backing its incumbent chief ministers in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. However, the final position will remain subject to formal confirmation by the BJP’s central leadership.
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Ask News18The BJP is expected to contest the upcoming Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand under the leadership of Chief Ministers Yogi Adityanath and Pushkar Singh Dhami, respectively.
Ask News18October 17, 2026, 15:36 IST
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