BJP names Yogi Adityanath as UP legislature party leader -- As it happened

Yogi Adityanath has been chosen as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister; Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma to be Deputy Chief Ministers in the BJP party meet in Lucknow today.

Pic courtsey: ANI

Lucknow: Putting an end to all speculations, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday named its senior party leader Yogi Adityanath as the next Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister.

Uttar Pradesh BJP chief Keshav Prasad Maurya will be the deputy chief ministers of the state.

The decision was taken a week after the saffron party won at least 312 out of 402 seats in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. 

Here are live updates: 

- CM designate Yogi Adityanath extends gratitude to Governor Ram Naik for inviting BJP to form government in Uttar Pradesh 

- CM-designate Yogi Adityanath meets Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik in Lucknow, claims stake to form the government in the state 

Lucknow: CM designate Yogi Adityanath meets governor Ram Naik, claims stake to form the government pic.twitter.com/3S5AWidpwA — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 18, 2017

- Home Minister Rajnath Singh's son and Gautam Budh Nagar's MLA elect Pankaj Singh says:

"We will work on agenda of' 'Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas' and under the leadership of Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh will walk on the path of development."

- BJP supporters celebrate in Varanasi after party leaders announce Yogi Adityanath's name for the post of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister. 

Celebration in Varanasi: Yogi Adityanath set to become the next Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, will take oath tomorrow pic.twitter.com/CG1xNniZaD — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 18, 2017

- Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh greets Yogi Adityanath on being selected as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister. Here's what he said: 

"Congratulation. Hope under him Uttar Pradesh will reach new heights of development."

- Supporters in Gorakhpur rejoice and burst crackers as the five time MP from Gorakhpur Yogi Adityanath becomes Uttar Pradesh CM designate

- Parliament Board to be present at the oath-taking ceremony in Lucknow tomorrow.  

- Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan congratulates Yogi Adityanath for being named Uttar Pradesh's CM

- Venkaiah Naidu speaks at press conference in Lucknow:

"Amit Shah approved Yogi Adityanath's name for the post. It was a unanimous choice. Yogi Adityanath asked for two Deputy Chief Minister for the state. Yogi Adityanath suggested Maurya's name for the post of Deputy Chief Minister. Uttar Pradesh is a big state that's why two deputy CMs were chosen."

"PM Narendra Modi will attend the oath-taking ceremony that will be held at 2:15 pm at Lucknow on Sunday. The event will also be attended by Amit Shah and senior party leaders. Invitations will also be sent to all BJP as well as  NDA Chief Ministers."

"The Uttar Pradesh victory is historic for BJP."

- BJP MLAs decided on Yogi Adityanath's name for the post of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister: Venkaiah Naidu at press-conference in LucknowBJP MLAs decided on Yogi Adityanath's name for the post of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister: Venkaiah Naidu at press-conference in Lucknow

- BJP addresses media after Yogi Adityanath gets chosen as UP CM, to take oath on Sunday 

- Uttar Pradesh will have two Deputy Chief Ministers in Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma, UP BJP incharge Om Mathur tells media.

- "Party High Command chose Yogi Adityanath's name for Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister's post", BJP leader Sangeet Som quoted as saying by CNN-News18.

- "During the meet, everybody unanimously suggested Yogi Adityanath's name for Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister's post. Names of Keshav Prasad Maurya and Manoj Sinha were suggested for the post of Deputy Chief Ministers," BJP leader Suresh Khanna told Zee News.

- Six-time Gorakhpur MP Yogi Adityanath named new chief minister of Uttar Pradesh

#FLASH Yogi Adityanath named CM designate for UP pic.twitter.com/1ih6Z6VAwc — ANI (@ANI_news) March 18, 2017

- Yogi Adityanath arrives at the venue of meeting of BJP MLAs amid speculation over possibility of his becoming UP CM: PTI

- UP to have one CM and two deputy CMs, say sources

- Chants raised for Yogi Adityanath at BJP MLAs' meet at Lucknow today: CNN-News18 report

- BJP Leaders Yogi Adityanath, Bhupendra Yadav, Om Mathur, KP Maurya & Sunil Bansal held a separate meeting, ahead of BJP MLAs meet: ANI

- According to various TV channels, Yogi Adityanath is among those leading in the race for Uttar Pradesh CM whereas Keshav Prasad Maurya and Manoj Sinha may be appointed his deputy Chief Ministers.

- Keshav Prasad Maurya has emerged as front-runner for CM post now, reports ABP news; whereas NDTV report says Yogi Adityanath can be the chief minister. According to another report, Lucknow Mayor Dinesh Sharma as deputy CM is almost done.

- BJP MLAs arrive for the party's legislature meet in Lucknow

BJP MLAs arrive for the party's legislature meet in Lucknow pic.twitter.com/a6cXxJu86v — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 18, 2017

- Yogi Adityanath reaches Lucknow on a charter plane while Manoj Sinha, who is one of the leading contenders, has reached the Babatpur airport. He'll leave for Lucknow from Delhi.

- Om Mathur has reached the airport. He was noticed with BJP UP Chief Keshav Maurya.

- Both Yogi Adityanath and Om Mathur have left for Lucknow to attend the MLA meet. There is a huge demand for making Adityanath as the new Chief Minister of the state.

- Uttar Pradesh BJP chief Keshav Prasad Maurya – for whom Rajasthan governor Kalyan Singh and union minister Uma Bharti are reportedly rooting for as the chief minister – is likely to be present at the BJP legislature party meeting in Lucknow later in the day.

- A huge crowd has gathered at Barhat where Union minister Manoj Sinha, a frontrunner for Uttar Pradesh chief minister, has been to. The minister is returning to Varanasi.

- Hundreds of BJP workers have gathered at various towns in Uttar Pradesh in the first formal celebration of a thumping victory in the assembly elections.

- "Section of media unnecessarily speculating," says front-runner Manoj Sinha. 

I am not in the race for the CM's post and that it is the legislature party and the BJP’s parliamentary board that decides: Manoj Singh tells ANI.

- Rahul Gandhi ji has been running the party for the last ten years. Sonia Gandhi ji is the national president only for namesake. The Congress is a sinking ship come what may: Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu.

- UP BJP Chief Keshav Prasad Maurya's supporters stage demonstration in Lucknow, demands Maurya be made the CM of UP

- Amit Shah holds meeting with some top Uttar Pradesh leaders in Delhi today morning. Keshav Prasad Maurya met with him at his residence, as did Yogi Adityanath.

- Union minister Naidu arrived in Lucknow and plans to hold a meeting with BJP MLAs today, before the 4 pm meeting.Naidu arrived in Lucknow and plans to hold a meeting with BJP MLAs today, before the 4 pm meeting.

- According to the Raj Bhavan, the timing of swearing-in ceremony has been advanced, and it is now likely to be held at 2.15 pm on Sunday.

- Invitation for Sunday's swearing-in ceremony of the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister has been sent to all the CMs of BJP-ruled states, said party leaders.

- Union Minister Manoj Sinha offered prayers at Sankatmochan temple on Friday.

- 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," Governor Ram Naik said in a statement on Friday.

- BJP vice-president Om Mathur, state party chief Keshav Prasad Maurya and other senior party leaders are also likely to attend the meet.

- While the BJP has not yet announced the name of Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, some of the names doing the rounds are union ministers Rajnath Singh, Manoj Sinha, BJP state president Keshav Prasad Maurya and Gorakhpur MP Yogi Adityanath.

- Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national president Amit Shah will also attend the ceremony.

- The swearing-in ceremony of the new Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister will be held at the Kanshiram memorial ground on Sunday.