The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday appointed Keshav Maurya as its next president of the Uttar Pradesh unit. He will succeed Laxmikant Bajpayi.
Maurya is a Lok Sabha member from Phoolpur in Allahabad and has been associated with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).
His appointment indicates that the BJP is likely to embrace the Hindutva line ahead of assembly polls set for 2017.
Maurya has also been a legislator from Sirathu.
BJP spokesman Vijay Bahadur Pathak said: "Party workers are exited at the appointment of Maurya. We are now battle ready for 2017."