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Acknowledging that he aspires to become CM, Maurya said the BJP fights elections under collective leadership and that a decision on the CM post is taken after the polls.
Maurya also claimed that no member of Akhilesh Yadav’s family would become Uttar Pradesh chief minister until 2047. (Photo: PTI File)
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Tuesday claimed that the BJP will secure a bigger victory in the upcoming Assembly elections than it did in 2017, when the BJP-led alliance won more than 300 seats in the 403-member House.
Maurya also dismissed reports of differences with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, saying the two leaders would not be working together if there were serious differences between them. “If there were differences, I wouldn’t be his Deputy CM and he wouldn’t be my CM,” Maurya said.
Acknowledging that he aspires to become Uttar Pradesh chief minister, Maurya said the BJP fights elections under collective leadership and that a decision on the chief ministerial post is taken after the polls.
“I have the ambition to become CM of UP, but nothing will happen because of that. We fight elections under collective leadership and take a call on the CM post after the elections. There are no differences between him and CM Yogi,” he said.
Taking a swipe at Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Maurya said, “Akhilesh had differences with his father and with his uncle. He should not speak about me.”
Maurya also claimed that no member of Akhilesh Yadav’s family would become Uttar Pradesh chief minister until 2047.
Maurya Attacks SP
Maurya launched a sharp attack on the Samajwadi Party, alleging that the party was concerned about criminals.
“SP is a party which is full of criminals and cares for criminals. Zoom into the faces in their rallies and you will find most of them to be criminals,” he said.
He also claimed that the BJP would achieve a “historic hat-trick” in Uttar Pradesh, citing the party’s electoral performances in states including Maharashtra, Haryana and Delhi.
Maurya On 2024 Lok Sabha Polls
Referring to the BJP’s performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, Maurya attributed the opposition’s gains to what he called “misinformation” over reservation.
“A lot of water has flown in the Ganga in UP since the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. SP-Congress performed well in 2024 by spreading misinformation on reservation,” he said.
On Congress leader Imran Masood’s reported ultimatum to the Samajwadi Party, Maurya said the Congress and SP were already engaged in differences and that it would not matter whether the two parties aligned.
Responding to demands for representation based on population, Maurya said the BJP had traditionally performed well even in Muslim- and Yadav-dominated constituencies.
“Muslims and Yadavs who have understood the BJP do vote for us. Modi is the biggest OBC face. People know Congress has never cared for OBCs,” he said.
‘Gen Z Is With BJP’
Maurya also claimed that young voters, particularly Gen Z, were supporting the BJP and cited the recent Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections as an example.
“Gen Z is with the BJP. The DUSU win shows that,” he said.
The 2026 DUSU elections saw the ABVP win three of the four central-panel posts, while independent candidate Deepanshu Shokeen won the vice-president’s post.
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Ask News18Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya acknowledged that he has an ambition to become chief minister, but clarified that the BJP fights elections under collective leadership and decides on the post after the polls. He also dismissed reports of differences with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, stating that they would not be working together if serious differences existed.
Ask News18About the Author
Saurabh Verma is a Deputy News Editor at News18.com, specialising in Indian politics and breaking global news. With years of experience tracking election strategies, he decodes domestic issues for mil…Read More
September 22, 2026, 8:12 PM IST
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