Decision on Uttar Pradesh CM today; Manoj Sinha visits Varanasi temples

Lucknow: Newly-elected Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs will meet here on Saturday to elect the Legislature Party leader, with Union Minister Manoj Sinha among the frontrunners.

Amid speculations that he might become the new Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Manoj Sinha, the Communications Minister, visited many temples in Varanasi today.

He also visited the famous Kashi Vishwanath temple and offered prayers at the sanctum sanctorum. 

Though, The BJP is yet to announce its chief minister for Uttar Pradesh, Governor Ram Naik confirmed that the new Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh along with his Cabinet colleagues would take oath on March 19 at 5.00 pm at Kanshiram Smriti Upvan.

The oath taking ceremony of the new Chief Minister and the cabinet was likely to be a grand affair with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah attending the event.

Central observers - Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu and national general secretary Bhupendra Yadav -- will remain present at the meeting to elect the chief minister.

Besides Sinha, Home Minister and former state chief minister Rajnath Singh and state party chief Keshav Prasad Maurya are being projected as strong nominees for the post by their partymen.

While no official announcement has been made so far about the next Chief Minister, the sources say the name of union minister Manoj Sinha has "more or less been finalized" by Amit Shah.

The BJP is returning to power in the country's most populous state after a gap of almost 15 years. It won 325 seats along with its allies in the 403-member House.

The Home Minister, several leaders said, is a natural contender due to his profile and vast administrative experience.

With the BJP leadership often springing a surprise with its choice of state leaders like Manohar Lal Khattar and Vijay Rupani, both of whom were not among the favourites to lead governments in Haryana and Gujarat, sources said a relatively lesser known leader cannot be ruled out.