News Analysis India

Tag: Uttar Pradesh Assembly Polls

  • Uttar Pradesh polls: BJP to launch multi-pronged massive campaign to reach out to OBCs from Oct 8

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: With the political activities intensifying in Hindi heartland ahead of 2022 Uttar Pradesh electoral battle as parties gear up in their own camps to stop the saffron juggernaut, the ruling BJP is reaching out to different sections of voters in the run up to the Assembly polls early next year.

    The ruling party in Uttar Pradesh, BJP, is all set to launch its mega outreach programme to woo the OBC communities on October 8, coinciding with the festival of Navratri.

    The campaign to reach out to the OBCs, who have supported the BJP during the past three elelctions – 2014, 2017 and 2019 – will continue till Diwali. The party has decided to focus on sub-castes of the OBCs beside holding 202 mega rallies in the OBC pockets across the state.

    According to BJP’s state OBC Morcha chief Narendra Kashyap, total 202 rallies would be organised focusing on the OBCs. During the outreach programme, the OBC voters would be sensitized about the state government’s achievements and party policy for their welfare. “These rallies will be organised in the third leg of the outreach programme,” Kashyap said.

    The first phase of campaign, commencing on October 8, would witness conferences for communities like Saini, Kashyap, Yadav, Vishwakarna, Rajbhar etc.

    Organised by the OBC Morcha, around 15 to 20 community-specific conferences would be held during the campaign. Locations have also been identified in Lucknow for the conferences. “CM Yogi Adiyanath and deputy CMs, along with other senior BJP leaders, will be present at these conferences,” Kashyap added.

    Explaining about the second phase of the outreach, Kashyap said meetings would be arranged in 98 assembly seats with leaders of different communities. Total 202 public rallies will make up the third phase. One rally would be held to cover two assembly segments. The strength of the UP assembly is 403.

    However, an added fourth phase would see the launch of a robust membership drive by the BJP OBC Morcha. Central leaders Dharmendra Pradhan and Bhupendra Yadav are also expected to be present for the programmes.

    However, the recent expansion of Yogi cabinet was also a reflection of party’s intent to reach out to the OBCs ahead of the 2022 trail as of the seven new ministers sworn in, three belonged to OBC. The others included a Brahmin, two leaders from Scheduled Castes and one from the Scheduled Tribes.

    The new composition of the cabinet reflects recent change in voting patterns wherein OBC voters are believed to be gravitating towards the BJP from the BSP and the SP folds.

    The BJP’s trajectory has been on the rise since 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The party did well in the state in the 2017 assembly elections by winning with a mammoth majority bagging 312 of 403 seats.

    Similarly, in 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the party put up an impressive show despite the grand alliance stitched between the sworn rivals — BSP and SP – who could not take the alliance till the ground level and failed deliver the expected results.

  • Samajwadi Party to contest 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls in alliance with RLD, regional parties: Akhilesh Yadav

    By PTI

    LUCKNOW: The Samajwadi Party, the Rashtriya Lok Dal and some smaller parties will contest the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls together, and an announcement in this regard would be made soon, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said on Tuesday.

    He said besides the RLD, talks have reached the final stage with the Mahan Dal and Dr Sanjay Chauhan’s outfit.

    Yadav said the “cleanup” of the BJP will begin from western Uttar Pradesh and the saffron party will be wiped out by the time it reaches Ballia (in eastern Uttar Pradesh).

    He also confirmed the SP’s alliance with his uncle Shivpal Yadav’s Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia).

    The SP chief was speaking at a media event here.

    Yadav has already declared that his party will have no tie-up with bigger parties like the Congress and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), and would rather prefer smaller regional parties as partners in the crucial election.

    Asked about the chance of any tie-up with the AIMIM, he did not show any inclination.

    Speaking at the conclave of News 24 immediately after Yadav, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi hit out at the SP and the BSP for taking 75 per cent Muslim votes by raking up the fear of the BJP but doing nothing to uplift their living standards.

    In a scathing attack, the Hyderabad MP said prominent non-BJP parties are racing with the saffron party to prove themselves to be a greater champion of the Hindutva cause and charged these parties with promoting majoritarianism in the country.

    “Days are not far when India will have majoritarianism as State policy like Israel,” Owaisi, who has announced that the AIMIM will contest 100 seats in the Uttar Pradesh polls, said.

    He trashed Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s claim of no riots in Uttar Pradesh during his rule of four-and-a-half years.

    The 2019 NCRB report says 5,819 communal fights took place in the state, Owaisi said, asserting that it is official data and could be verified.

    He alleged that since the BJP has nothing to show in the Uttar Pradesh polls, Adityanath and others are using words like “abbajaan” and “chachajaan” as part of “divisive” politics.

    He said such like expressions are part of “dog-whistle politics”.

    On the attack at his residence in Delhi on Tuesday, Owaisi said the incident happened at a short distance from a police station and it shows the efforts to “silence” the minority community.

    He also used the incident, in which some right-wing activists have been arrested, to dispel the charge that the “AIMIM plays a friendly match with the BJP in polls”.

    Owaisi alleged that Muslims are being targeted in Uttar Pradesh and reeled out figures that among those killed in police encounters in the state, 37 per cent were from the minority community.

    Yadav said if voted to power, the SP will not implement the “black farm laws” in Uttar Pradesh and will improve the “mandi” system in the state.

    He asserted that in the upcoming polls, Uttar Pradesh will get a new government and that the people of the state want “progressive politics”.

    Hitting out at the state government for the poor law-and-order situation, Yadav said Uttar Pradesh tops in terms of custodial deaths, the NHRC has served maximum notices to the state and a fugitive IPS officer is yet to be caught.

    Taking a dig at the BJP, he said, “The double-engine government is colliding with each other.”

    Asked to comment on his strategy in the upcoming polls as compared to the 2012 election, the SP chief said he believes in the English phrase, “strike the iron when it is hot”.

    He also said the BJP’s strength is its publicity of lies.

    To a question on comparing the organisational strength of the BJP and the SP, Yadav said his party had defeated the ruling party candidates from the parliamentary constituencies earlier represented by the chief minister (Gorakhpur) and deputy chief minister (Phoolpur) in 2018.

    On being asked whether he would be able to match the BJP’s money power in the polls, Yadav said, “A cycle (SP’s poll symbol) does not need diesel or petrol.”

    Earlier, national spokesperson of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Rakesh Tikait claimed that the BJP will not get more than 140 seats in the Uttar Pradesh polls.

    Tikait also said he has no faith in EVMs, adding, “We will not contest any polls.”

    He praised former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and said the credit for land acquisition goes to him.

    “Prime Minister Narendra Modi will leave office in the middle of his term and become the president. Yogiji must be promoted and he should become the prime minister,” Tikait said sarcastically.

    To a question, he said, “Is the BJP the custodian of the Har Har Mahadev slogan? We are Raghuvanshis and Ayodhya is our place of birth.”

    BSP national general secretary Satish Chandra Misra termed the BJP as “enemy number one” because it has “completely ruined the state”.

    To a question, he said the elephant (BSP’s poll symbol) is the friend of the public.

    Misra’s comments came a day after Adityanath said the ration meant for the common man were gobbled by the “elephant” when the BSP was in power in Uttar Pradesh.

    Misra dismissed any possibility of a poll alliance with the SP.

    To a question on whether the BSP will support the BJP in case of a hung Assembly, he said, “No support will be extended to the BJP at any cost.”

  • Shiv Sena will contest Uttar Pradesh, Goa Assembly polls, says MP Sanjay Raut

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday said his party will contest the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Goa due early next year, and claimed farmers’ organisations in western UP are willing to support his party.

    Talking to reporters here, Raut said the Shiv Sena will field candidates in 80 to 100 seats in UP (which has a 403-member Assembly), while it will contest about 20 seats in the Goa Assembly (which comprises 40 seats).

    “Farmers’ organisations in western UP have expressed their willingness to support the Shiv Sena and we may ally with smaller parties. In Goa, efforts are on to explore a formula like MVA. Let’s see if we succeed,” the Rajya Sabha member said.

    Raut further said the Shiv Sena has its cadre in these two states and has been contesting elections, irrespective of success or failure.

    Shiv Sena to contest all 403 seats in Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections in 2022. The party has not joined hands with any political party as of now but has hinted at possibility of an alliance @TheMornStandard @NewIndianXpress @khogensingh1
    — Namita_TNIE (@Namita_TNIE) September 12, 2021
    After the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly polls, the Shiv Sena snapped ties with long-term ally BJP over the issue of sharing the chief ministerial post, and forged an alliance with the NCP and Congress to form the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in the state.

    Asked about the resignation of Vijay Rupani as Gujarat chief minister, Raut said, “It is an internal matter of the BJP, outsiders need not comment. I have known Rupani since he was the Rajya Sabha member with me.”

    “Last time, the BJP just managed to cross the majority mark (in the 182-member Gujarat Assembly). The situation this time is not good for the party,” he claimed.

    To a question on Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray’s role at the national level, Raut said, “Thackeray has the capability to become a national leader. A Maharashtra chief minister is a national leader.”

  • Samajwadi Party launches ‘Jan Mann-Vijay’ campaign for Uttar Pradesh assembly polls

    By PTI

    LUCKNOW: The Samajwadi Party (SP) on Saturday announced its ‘Jan Mann-Vijay’ campaign for the next year Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, on a day the BJP launched its ‘Vijay Booth Abhiyan’ for the elections.

    SP chief Akhilesh Yadav also said that the party through its ‘Har Booth Par Youth’ programme will reach out to the people of the state and ensure the success of the campaign.

    “In the 2022 election, the youth power of the SP will create public awareness at every booth of Uttar Pradesh and on the basis of the works and principles of the SP, the party will win the hearts of all the people and ensure the success of the ‘Jan-Mann Vijay Abhiyan’ at the booth level,” he said in a tweet in Hindi.

    The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister announced the ‘Jan Mann-Vijay Abhiyan’ and the ‘Har Booth Par Youth’ programme on the micro-blogging site.

    “The awakened people of Uttar Pradesh will bring a democratic revolution,” Yadav said.

    Earlier on Saturday, BJP president J P Nadda launched his party’s ‘Vijay Booth Abhiyan’ online for 27,700 ‘Shakti Kendras’ (organisational units) in Uttar Pradesh.

  • Samajwadi Party should join united front to dislodge BJP: PSP-Lohia chief Shivpal Yadav

    By PTI

    SAMBHAL: Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party-Lohia president Shivpal Singh Yadav on Wednesday said all like-minded parties should unite to dislodge the BJP from power and their effort is that the Samajwadi Party (SP) also join the front.

    The former UP minister, who had quit the Samajwadi Party after differences with his nephew Akhilesh Yadav and formed his own outfit, also alleged that the bureaucracy is working in an arbitrary manner.

    He also accused the state’s BJP government of failing to check crime. Yadav told reporters here that his outfit has readied itself for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls next year, for which all like-minded parties should unite to dislodge the BJP from power. “Our effort is that the Samajwadi Party should also be part of this (united front) so that we are successful in removing the BJP from power,” he said.

    Attacking CM Yogi Adityanath over law and order, Yadav said incidents of murder, dacoity and rape have become common. “The government of Yogi Adityanath has failed on all fronts,” he said, adding that bureaucracy too is working in an arbitrary manner.

    He also criticised the Centre’s farm laws, saying these have ruined farmers.

  • BSP to begin campaign to woo Brahmins ahead of Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls

    By PTI
    LUCKNOW: Ahead of the 2022 UP Assembly elections, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Sunday said the Brahmins will not vote for the BJP and her party will begin a campaign from Ayodhya next week to “awaken” the community.

    Speaking to the media here, Mayawati said she is fully assured that the people of the “Brahmin community will not get misled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and vote for the party in the upcoming elections”.

    “A campaign, led by BSP general secretary Satish Chandra Mishra, will be started from Ayodhya on July 23 to awaken the Brahmin community once again. The Brahmins will be assured that their interests will remain safe under the BSP regime,” she said.

    On the farmers’ issue, Mayawati said all political parties should come together and hold the Centre accountable.

    “The indifferent attitude of the Centre towards farmers protesting against the three farm laws is extremely sad.

    It is necessary that pressure of all kinds is put on the Centre in Parliament.

    Due to the wrong economic policies of the central government, there is rising unemployment and inflation, which is posing hardships to the people,” she said.

    Mayawati said the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MPs, during the Monsoon session of Parliament, will raise issues such as rise in fuel and cooking gas prices and matters related to COVID-19 vaccination.

    “There are a number of issues on which the public wants accountability of the government,” she said.

    The Monsoon session of Parliament begins on Monday.

  • Open-minded on forging alliance with other parties for Uttar Pradesh polls: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi

    By PTI
    LUCKNOW: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday said her party is “open-minded” on the issue of forging an alliance with other political parties for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.

    Asked whether the Congress will go alone on all the 403 assembly seats in the state or align with some political party, the party general secretary told reporters here, “It is too early to say now.”

    On whether she is ruling out an alliance or not, she said, “I do not rule out (alliance). We are absolutely not closed-minded. We are having an open mind.”

    “Our aim is to defeat the BJP,” she said, adding other political parties should also be open-minded.

    “I have an open mind, but my priority is my party,” she said.

  • Yet to decide on tie-up for Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections: AAP leader Sanjay Singh

    By PTI
    HARDOI: Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh on Saturday said his party has yet not taken a call on contesting the next year’s Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections in alliance.

    The AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP a few days ago had met Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, triggering speculation that his party may partner with the former chief minister’s outfit for the polls.

    “In politics, people meet each other. I have met Rajbhar, Akhilesh Yadav and whatever is in the interest of UP will be done,” Sanjay Singh said in Hardoi, where he came to start AAP’s membership drive.

    After inaugurating the party office here, he told reporter said that a government does not belong to any particular caste or religion.

    “The government should be for 24 crore people of Uttar Pradesh and there is no place for vendetta in politics,” he said.

    He said the slogan of “sabka saath, sabka vikas” given by the BJP is not visible on the ground.

    Uttar Pradesh will not develop with works being done in the interests of any particular caste or religion, he said.

    He also took a dig at the panchayat polls in the state, saying the process has not been “free and fair”.

    “There were kidnapping and shooting incidents. Clothes of women are being torn,” the AAP leader said, adding had there been direct elections for the posts of the block and district panchayat chiefs, people would have given a befitting reply to the BJP.

  • Will contest on all 403 seats in Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls: Chandrashekhar Azad

    By PTI
    BULANDSHAHR: Azad Samaj Party chief Chandrashekhar Azad here on Thursday said his outfit will contest on all 403 seats in Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls next year.

    Employment to the youth, checking crime, women empowerment, food security, health and right to education will be the issues that will be raised by his party, he said during a cycle rally here.

    Taking a dig at the Cabinet reshuffle at the Centre, he said changing ministers will do nothing unless the government is changed.

    He also criticised Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, alleging that the crime graph is rising but he is silent.

  • AAP leader Sanjay Singh meets SP chief Akhilesh Yadav ahead of Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls

    By PTI
    LUCKNOW: AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh on Saturday met Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav here, triggering speculation about a tie up between both parties ahead of the Uttar Pradesh elections next year.

    The Aam Aadmi Party leader, however, refused to comment over it, saying he met Yadav to convey birthday greetings to him and held discussion over the current political situation in the state.

    Singh refused to divulge details of his meeting with Yadav.

    To a question as to whether the upcoming Assembly elections in UP will see an alliance between the Samajwadi Party and AAP, Singh said, “I cannot say anything on this matter.