Rajnath Singh to be Bharatiya Janata Party's face for upcoming UP elections

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is likely to be Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) prime facia for campaign of Uttar Pradesh elections which will be held in the state early next year.

According to reliable sources this has been learnt that BJP is planning to project Rajnath as the main face of the party for UP elections. If this happens then Rajnath Singh will be in direct competition with regional giants like Mulayam Singh Yadav of Samajwadi Party and Mayawati of Bahujan Samajwadi Party.

Chief ministerial candidate for the state will be decided at a later stage, source added. Rajnath Singh, who had been chief minister of UP before, is not keen to essay that role again, sources said.

Earlier today Rajnath Singh played a trump card by saying that the Centre is ready for a CBI probe into Mathura violence that claimed 29 lives, provided Uttar Pradesh government demands it.

"Thousands of people had grabbed land in Mathura and the state government was unaware. If state government demands a CBI probe, we are ready for it," he said.

Uttar Pradesh government has ordered a judicial probe into the Mathura violence.