Since the Lok Sabha election results on June 4, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has been the target of criticism, not only from his political opponents but also from members of his own party, BJP.
In a BJP Executive meeting following the elections, Yogi Adityanath broke his silence for the first time. He gave a politically charged statement about BJP’s performance in Uttar Pradesh, which also carried a message to many.
His remarks about the electoral performance mirror those made after the by-election losses in Gorakhpur and Phulpur in 2018. Back then, his response seemed purely political, but the tone of his latest remarks suggests that Yogi Adityanath is in no mood to spare BJP leadership while strongly defending himself.
At that time, Yogi Adityanath tried to explain that SP-BSP's alliance in the election was taken lightly, resulting in BJP's misstep. Now, it certainly doesn't seem like he's talking about himself - those in the know say that in 2024, Yogi Adityanath was just as upset about candidate selection as he was in 2018 - and the argument appears to be strong, given the similar election outcomes.
Interestingly, BJP President JP Nadda was present in the review meeting, but Amit Shah was notably absent. In addition to Yogi Adityanath, senior leaders and office-bearers including UP BJP President Bhupendra Chaudhary were in attendance.
According to Yogi Adityanath, the BJP in UP had become a victim of overconfidence - but whose confidence is he challenging?
Is UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath hinting at the BJP leadership? Is he pointing towards overconfidence-filled campaigns like 'India Shining' that led to BJP's loss in 2004?
Does his talk of 'overconfidence' cast doubt on BJP's recent campaign rhetoric of 'This time, over 400 seats'?
Yogi Adityanath under the scanner post-election results
The BJP's review meeting came at a time when the party faced a major setback similar to the Lok Sabha elections. In by-elections across seven states for 13 assembly seats, BJP suffered heavy defeats, securing victory in only 2 seats, while the India Alliance won 10 seats, and an independent candidate won 1 seat in Bihar.
And more importantly, by-elections are coming soon for 10 assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha election, BJP faced its greatest disappointment in UP, where its seats reduced from 62 in 2019 to just 33, contributing to the party's downsizing to 240 seats overall. The party that once secured a majority on its own is now having to take support from Nitish Kumar's JDU and Chandrababu Naidu's TDP to form the government.
Post-election results, speculation about Yogi Adityanath's political future began to circulate, and his supporters gradually took up the fight against campaigns running against him on social media. Now, Yogi Adityanath himself has broken his silence and taken charge.
During the Lok Sabha elections, soon after being released on interim bail, Delhi's Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal began spinning tales about Yogi Adityanath. Kejriwal claimed that the 75-year-old Prime Minister Narendra Modi would retire, and with Amit Shah eyeing the PM chair, Yogi Adityanath would be the first to be sidelined.
The doubts Kejriwal tried to instill during the elections deepened with the results, fueling further speculation. Initially, both Prime Minister Modi and Amit Shah attempted to discredit Kejriwal's assertions, but the post-election situation triggered a different political play.
Is this Yogi Adityanath's counter-attack or a defense strategy?
UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is both targeting leadership and solidifying his defense. He says, remember how the streets would empty during Muharram... today, one cannot even tell it’s Muharram... houses were destroyed and trees cut in the name of Taziya, electricity wires were removed... today, the government says no poor person's dwelling will be disturbed, celebrate your festivals according to the rules, or stay home... such arbitrariness can't go on.
While discussing the defeat, Yogi Adityanath begins by praising Prime Minister Modi, but he also makes his point clear. He says, under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, we continuously kept the pressure on the opposition... and achieved success in UP... whether it's the 2014, 2019 Lok Sabha elections or the 2017 and 2022 UP assembly elections... BJP received the same number of votes this time as well - but vote swings and overconfidence affected our expectations.
In the end, is Yogi Adityanath referring to overconfidence within the central leadership of BJP?
Is Yogi Adityanath also reminding of BJP President JP Nadda’s statement that caused displeasure within the RSS, saying, 'BJP has now become much stronger than before... so it does not need the support of RSS anymore'?
It’s hard to digest a defeat in the year when Ram Temple has already been built in Uttar Pradesh. Reality must be acknowledged.
Adityanath's words seem to deeply hit the mark. The BJP had plans to defeat Rahul Gandhi in Raebareli after its victory in Amethi in 2019, but instead lost Ayodhya to a local SP MLA. And not just Ayodhya, the list of lost seats include many that were considered BJP strongholds - even the margin of Prime Minister Modi’s victory was expected to reach 10 lakhs, a significant decrease from the past two elections.
While Yogi Adityanath is emphasizing both defense and attack, he is also aware of the harsh reality. The struggles during COVID times, how people were distressed, and how Modi-Shah led a powerful campaign to make people forget their woes, leading to BJP’s return to power and reinstallation of Yogi Adityanath as Chief Minister.
Back then, Amit Shah was seen campaigning for Yogi Adityanath using Modi’s name - elect Yogi as the Chief Minister, so Modi becomes Prime Minister again in 2024. Modi remained the Prime Minister, but the UP electorate did not vote for BJP as they did in the assembly elections.
The next milestone is 2027. Remember, electoral victory is what matters the most. Smriti Irani is an excellent example.
