Uttar Pradesh election 2022: BJP declares 2 more names for second phase, both OBCs

LUCKNOW: The Bharatiya Janata Party kept its focus on OBC outreach and declared tickets for two more seats, both in Bareilly district. While minister of state in Yogi Government and sitting MLA from Baheri, Chhatrapal Singh Gangwar, has been repeated, another sitting MLA from Bhojipura, Bahoranlal Maurya has got the party's nod.
This takes the number of BJP's OBC candidates in the first two phases to 46.
Gangwar is a Kurmi leader while Bahoranlal comes from Maurya community. Gangwar was made minister in the last cabinet expansion of the Yogi Government. His elevation then was seen as the party's Kurmi outreach bid after Lok Sabha MP from Bareilly Santosh Gangwar was dropped from the Modi cabinet.
Chhatrapal is into his second term as an MLA. He had also won on the BJP ticket in 2007 Vidhan Sabha election when Mayawati-led BSP had formed the government in the state.