The rise of Baby Rani Maurya and why she is important for the BJP

NEW DELHI: As the mega ceremony for the oath-taking of Yogi Adityanath as Uttar Pradesh chief minister unfolded in Lucknow, among the many winners in focus was one 65-year-old lady from the western part of the state whom many expect to gain a key responsibility in the state.

Baby Rani Maurya, the legislator from

Agra

rural, was named as one of the senior ministers in the Adityanath cabinet. Having been the governor of Uttarakhand earlier,

Baby Rani Maurya

already enjoyed stature.

And till speculation was laid to rest and Keshav Prasad Maurya, who had lost from

Sirathu

, was named the deputy chief minister, many even considered Baby Rani

Maurya

to be a key contender for the position.

But what is it about this former mayor of Agra that makes her so important for the BJP?

In her over three decades as a BJP worker active especially in the western part of Uttar Pradesh, Baby Rani Maurya is considered a key worker who helped BJP increase its outreach towards the Dalits and other backward castes.

Baby Rani Maurya hails from the Jatav community to which former chief minister and BSP chief Mayawati also belongs. Jatavs are considered to be the largest segment among the Dalits in Uttar Pradesh and Baby Rani Maurya has the advantage of being the most prominent face from the community within the BJP.

In 1995, she came in to prominence when she was elected the mayor of Agra. Not just that, she was the first woman mayor of the historical city.

Maurya continued working for the BJP in the state even as Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party continued to dominate Uttar Pradesh. In 2002, she was made a member of the National Commission for Women. Interestingly,

Nirmala Sitharam

, who is now the Union finance minister, was one of the members of the commission, who worked with Maurya.

In the 2007 Uttar Pradesh elections, Baby Rani Maurya contested from the Ehtmad seat but lost. However, her ascent continued and key responsibilities continued to be assigned to her.

In 2018, she got a major boost as the Union government appointed her as the governor of Uttarakhand. She worked in the important position for three before resigning in September 2021. She still had two years of her term left.

However, in 2022 UP state elections, Maurya contested the Agra rural seat and won securing over 1.37 lakh votes.

And as the most prominent Dalit face in the Adityanath cabinet, Baby Rani Maurya's importance continues to grow within the BJP. More so, because the BSP seems to be in a decline.

Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, Location Guesser and Mini Crossword. Spread love this holiday season with these Christmas wishes, messages, and quotes.