BJP Legislative Party names Yogi Adityanath as next UP CM; KP Maurya and Dinesh Sharma to be deputy CMs

After a week-long suspense, Bharatiya Janta Party has finally decided on its chief minister in political hotbed Uttar Pradesh According to sources, Gorakhpur MP Yogi Adityanath will be the next CM of the state and will take oath at 2:15 PM on Sunday. 

Official confirmation was still awaited. 

The suspense over the new chief minister of Uttar Pradesh ended at the BJP legislature party (BJPLP) meeting to be held in Lucknow on Saturday.

The declaration of a new leader, in the presence of Union minister Venkaiah Naidu and party general secretary Bhupendra Yadav, coincided with the party’s victory day celebration on that day.

As it Happened:

#7:40 PM: Congratulate Yogi Adityanath, hope under him Uttar Pradesh will reach new heights of development: Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh

Supporters in Gorakhpur rejoice and burst crackers as the five time MP from Gorakhpur Yogi Adityanath becomes Uttar Pradesh CM designate pic.twitter.com/uE1dxJ0JRO

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 18, 2017

Andhra,Nagaland aurJ&K ke CMs se baat ki. BJP,NDA ke CMs ke kal aane ki sambhawna hai: V Naidu on oath taking ceremony of Yogi Adityanath pic.twitter.com/oPa1V2n5bz

— ANI (@ANI_news) March 18, 2017

#7:30 PM: UP CM Designate Yogi Adityanath and the deputy CMs will address media tomorrow: Venkaiah Naidu,Union Minister

#7:25 PM: Apart from PM Modi and Amit Shah, CMs from other BJP-ruled states invited for oath taking ceremony

#7:20 PM: Oath taking will take place at 2:15 pm tomorrow in UP, PM Modi and Amit Shah to also remain present: Venkaiah Naidu,Union Minister

#7:10 PM: BJP's press conference in Lucknow, Yogi Adityanath to take oath as UP CM tomorrow, Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma deputy CMs

#7:10 PM: BJP Legislative Party press conference begins; It's official Yogi Adityanath to be next UP CM 

#WATCH Yogi Adityanath chosen as Uttar Pradesh BJP legislature party leader pic.twitter.com/OPnuON4BTg

— ANI (@ANI_news) March 18, 2017

Yogi Adityanath chosen as legislature party leader pic.twitter.com/qy3F7XNQdc

— ANI (@ANI_news) March 18, 2017

#6:50PM : It's confirmed; BJP state president KP Maurya and Lucknow Mayor Dinesh Sharma to be deputy CMs

#6:45 PM: Suresh Khanna proposed the name of Yogi Adityanath on behalf of PM Modi , say sources

#6:45PM: Inside visuals confirm Yogi Adityanath chosen as next CM of Uttar Pradesh; two leaders likley appointed as deputy CMs as well; media address epxected in a few minutes

Read | How Yogi Adityanath became a mascot of BJP's Hindutva campaign in Uttar Pradesh

#6:10 PM: Yogi Adityanath will swear-in as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister at 2:15 PM on Sunday, March 19

#6:05 PM: BJP Legislative party names Yogi Adityanath as CM designate

Supporters of Yogi Adityanath shout 'Yogi,Yogi' outside Lok Bhawan (Lucknow) where BJP MLAs meeting is underway pic.twitter.com/cFlE3CQcAq

— ANI (@ANI_news) March 18, 2017

Watch | BJP chooses Yogi Adityanath as next UP CM:

 

#6:00 PM: Slogans in favour of Yogi Adityanath being raised in MLA meet, his name for CM & Dinesh Sharma's name for Deputy CM being discussed: Sources (ANI)

#FLASH: BJP MLAs meeting starts in Lucknow (earlier visuals of MLAs arriving) pic.twitter.com/VCYGD5QlP1

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 18, 2017

#5:47 PM: Anupriya Patel also reaches BJP Legislative party meet

#5:45 PM: Venkiah Naidu and Lucknow Mayor Dinesh Sharma reach Lok Bhawan ahead of crucial meeting to decide new CM

#5:42 PM: UP Incharge Om Thakur also reach Lok Bhawan

#5:40 PM: Meanwhile Akhilesh Yadav reaches Lok Bhawan to welcome next state CM and hand over his official vehicle to him

#5:30 PM: Senior BJP leader including CM front runner Yogi Adityanath reach UP Lok Bhawan for BJP legislative party meet

#5:20PM:  BJP Leaders Yogi Adityanath, Bhupendra Yadav, Om Mathur, KP Maurya & Sunil Bansal held a separate meeting, ahead of BJP MLAs meet

Read | BJP Govt's first order to UP officials: Come to office on Monday or face strict action

#5:10 PM: Anupriya Patel and Keshav Prasad Maurya meet Venkiah Naidu 

#5:00 PM: Rumours strengthen for Yogi Adityanath as sources reveal Gorakhpur leader recently met Venkaih Naidu 

#4:35 PM: D-Day for UP CM Post: Yogi Adityanath current front-runner; KP Maurya and Dinesh Sharma may become deputy CM 

#4:20 PM: BJP Legislative party meet to begin in Lucknow shortly; Yogi Adityanath current front-runner; Manoj Sinha leaves for Delhi

#4.18pm

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

BJP MLAs arrive for the party's legislature meet in Lucknow pic.twitter.com/a6cXxJu86v

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 18, 2017

#12:58 PM

Na hi mera koi daava tha aur na hi main kisi race mein hoon: Manoj Sinha,Union Minister on next UP CM pic.twitter.com/nSeY85uE5s

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 18, 2017

#11:50 AM

Lucknow: Yogi Adityanath's supporters demonstrate demanding that Adityanath be made Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh pic.twitter.com/kDmVWpGfiT

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 18, 2017

Not in race for CM post.Legislature party and Parliamentary board decides.Section of media unnecessarily speculating:Manoj Sinha (file pic) pic.twitter.com/ftU0gtsmKV

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 18, 2017

#11:40 AM

Lucknow: UP BJP Chief Keshav Prasa Maurya's supporters stage demonstration demanding that Maurya be made the CM of UP pic.twitter.com/qwAR0WsJTl

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 18, 2017

#11:30 AM

Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu arrives in Lucknow; will hold meeting with BJP MLAs later today

"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 in Lucknow.

Manoj Sinha, Rajnath Singh, Yogi Adityanath and Smriti Irani are among the probable candidates for BJP’s Chief Ministerial position.

Also read: Who will be Uttar Pradesh's next chief minister? Suspense may end today; BJP changes swearing-in schedule

Manoj Sinha is an MP from Ghazipur and currently serving in the Modi government as Union telecom minister.

The last BJP chief minister that Uttar Pradesh had in 2002, Rajnath Singh may turn out to be a natural choice for CM's post.

Yogi Adityanath who is a firebrand leader with Hindutva leanings is also being touted as the chief ministerial candidate.

Smriti Irani took on Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha elections 2014. Despite she lost the election to Congress vice-president, but emerged as strong face within party.