New Delhi, June 6 -- The Bharatiya Janata Partywillget newchiefsinthree key states following theappointment of the incumbent presidents as Union ministers, two BJP leaders said. Mahendra Nath Pandey, Danve Raosaheb Dadarao and Nityanand Rai head the BJP in UttarPradesh,Maharashtraand Bihar respectively; all three states are governed by a BJP or NDA government. The three states account for 168 Lok Sabha seats, almost 30% of the total strength of the Lok Sabha. "There eventually will be a changeintheleadershipinthese states," the first BJP leader said. Thepartyconstitutionallowsfor twotermsbutthechiefswillhave to exit under its "one-man-onepost" rule, one of the two leaders said on condition of anonymity. "The change of guard is likely to happen after the organisationalelectionoftheBJPisover," the second leader added, asking nottobeidentified."Theinternal elections will take 2-3 months. There will be continuity in most of the other states." Danve is most likely to continue till the completion of the assembly election in Maharashtra in September-October, the second BJP leader said. "A new presidentwilltake over afterthe election."Thejuniorministerfor ConsumerAffairs,FoodandPublic Distribution; Danve succeededDevendraFadnavisasthe Maharashtra BJP chief in January2015andwasre- electedtothe postin2016.Danvewasaminister for some time in the first term of Narendra Modi in 2014. Pandey was appointed Uttar PradeshBJPchiefinAugust2017, replacingKeshavPrasadMaurya who joined the Yogi Adityanath governmentasdeputychiefminister. Pandeywasthejuniorminister in HRD ministry when he was appointed UP BJP chief. "There was a discussion withinthepartyaboutreplacing himahead of the Lok Sabha election, but the party decided not to rock the boat at a crucial time," the first leader said. Given the complete synergy between the UPBJPandthecentralunitofthe party, finding a replacement to Pandey won't be difficult, he added. Pandey received a promotion thistimeandModiappointedhim the cabinet minister for Skill DevelopmentandEntrepreneurship. Hispromotionisalsoseenas theBJP's attemptto reach outto Brahmins in Uttar Pradesh, wherethereisanongoingrivalry betweenBrahminsandThakurs. Rai, a OBC leader, was given chargeofBiharinNovember2016 and is considered a confidant of the party's national president Amit Shah. Rai is now the junior minister in home ministry, headed by Shah. "While a new face will be pickedtoleadtheBJPinBihar,it is most likely that the BJP will continueitsOBCoutreachinthe state," a third BJP leader said, asking not to be identified. Except Rai, all other union ministers of the BJP from Bihar are from the upper castes....