Keshav Prasad Maurya (born 7 May 1969) is an Indian politician, currently serving as the Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.

Maurya was associated with a right-wing Hindu organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, before entering active politics through BJP.

[6] Besides being a politician, Maurya is also the owner of several institutions, which includes, a hospital, a petrol pump, an agro trading company and Kamdhenu Logistics.

[7] Maurya has been associated with the RSS and the VHP-Bajrang Dal from an early age, holding the posts of Nagar Karyawah and VHP Pranth Sanghathan Mantri, among others.

[14][15] In the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly election Keshav Prasad Maurya contested from Sirathu seat in his home district Kaushambi and lost to Samajwadi Party candidate Pallavi Patel.

[16][17] Maurya was appointed state president of BJP for Uttar Pradesh, to consolidate the outreach of the party among Most Backward Castes.

[21] In 2022, Akhilesh Yadav offered Keshav Maurya to cause a defection of hundred MLAs of BJP and join hands with Samajwadi Party.

He ensured that the Samajwadi Party would provide support to Maurya in such a condition, and help him become the Chief Minister, replacing Yogi Adityanath.

[22][23][24] Political analysts recorded increased verbal attack by opposition leaders, specially Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Maurya, after his appointment as Deputy CM for his second term, right after losing his seat in 2022 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly election.

It was observed that during this phase of Maurya's tenure, Yadav and other opposition leaders singled him out and reduced their criticism of Yogi Adityanath.

[27] Maurya was later projected as nationwide OBC face of BJP; he was deployed in various states during assembly elections to increase the mass outreach of the party.

And therefore, the country is becoming Congress-free.”[29]After its victory in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, to strengthen its support base among the members of Koeri caste, Maurya was also made a participant in a convention celebrating the birth anniversary of Mauryan ruler Ashoka in Patna.

It was reported that Kushwahas were supporters of the Bahujan Samaj Party in Uttar Pradesh earlier, but BJP followed a strategy of elevation leaders from this caste to higher positions, after raising Maurya as its state unit chief, to placate the community.

However, during his address, Maurya had to face sloganeering in favour of Rajasthan Chief Minister, Ashok Gehlot, which disrupted his speech.

[34] These campaigns of Maurya were a part of BJP's strategy to build an alliance of similar caste groups in Rajasthan, as it did in Uttar Pradesh.

In an interview given to The Hindu, he supported the decision of Uttar Pradesh government of imposing National Security Act on those killing cows.

The website was launched in order to make it easy for the people from the countryside in the state of Uttar Pradesh to connect with the Deputy Chief Minister Maurya.

The issue arose after dismal performance of BJP in 2024 Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh under Yogi Adityanath.