Suresh Khanna new BJP legislature party leader in UP

Lucknow, July 17 (IANS) Seven-time legislator Suresh Khanna was Thursday elected leader of the BJP legislature party in the Uttar Pradesh assembly.

The unanimous decision was taken at a meeting of party legislators here in the presence of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) central observer Jai Prakash Chaturvedi. Kanpur legislator Salil Bishnoi proposed the name of Khanna, who represents Shahjahanpur, and it was endorsed by all legislators present.

Party spokesman Chandra Mohan said Khanna, who has been minister in successive governments of Kalyan Singh, Ram Prakash Gupta, Rajnath Singh and also in the coalition government of Mayawati, was an able leader and had also been the party's chief whip between 2004-07.

State party president Laxmikant Bajpayi, while addressing the meeting, said he was sure that under Khanna, the party MLAs would highlight the problems faced by the people more effectively in the Vidhan Sabha.

The post had fell vacant after incumbent Hukum Singh was elected as an MP in the recently held Lok Sabha elections, and resigned his legislator's seat.