BJP treads cautiously while choosing its Gorakhpur pick

LUCKNOW: As BJP continues with its "surgical operation" while deciding on candidates, all eyes remain glued on the Gorakhpur parliamentary constituency, where the party has not decided on a candidate yet.
Gorakhpur constituency is significant as UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath had been elected from here five times since 1999.
As chief minister, he has ensured development projects worth over Rs 1 lakh crore in the last two years in Gorakhpur.
He has even visited Gorakhpur often to meet people in the Gorakhnath Peeth of which he is the chief priest and also his workers and supporters.
In the past, Yogi Adityanath candidates from Hindu Yuva Vahini have led to defeat of BJP candidates in a number of places in the eastern region.
In the by-election held in March last year, the BJP was shocked after it lost lost this seat to Samajwadi Party candidate Sanjay Nishad, supported by the BSP.
The loss of the BJP in the two seats had given a fresh energy to a bruised Opposition to return to the centrestage while it shocked the ruling party and left its leadership nervous. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav had described the victory of Gorakhpur as a "game changer and turning point in Indian politics post 2017". It is this reason the Bharatiya Janata Party, while deciding the name of a candidate for Gorakhpur, is moving with caution and taking no risk, waiting for the final word from Yogi .
Bharatiya Janata Party insiders revealed that as has been in many constituencies of the state, the Bharatiya Janata Party leadership is waiting for feedback on the party's candidate for Gorakhpur.
Victory or loss for the BJP candidate in Gorakhpur would be attributed to Yogi and his image. So the party is banking on his decision in this regard.
So far, the names of Dharmendra Singh, a Yogi loyalist, and a Bhojpuri singer are circulating in the BJP circles but final declaration has not been made yet. One section of the Bharatiya Janata Party was of the view that Yogi should be asked to contest again, but his candidature would trigger speculations on his term as chief minister and hence shleved.
Since 1985, this seat has been with the BJP, with the candidate being a representative of the Peeth, as Gorakhpur MP. This was first time in the last 30 years that a candidate from outside the Peeth was elected causing a huge embarrassment to the BJP.
The BJP leadership is also aware of the fact of the consolidation of castes and communities - Muslim, Dalits and majority of Backward castes mainly, Yadavs and Nishads, against it ,it is not going to be a smooth sailing for the saffron party in 2019 also .