After a severe defeat in the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, all was not well within the party for Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. However, Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya's recent flurry of praise for Yogi signals that things are on the mend within the Uttar Pradesh BJP. As known, post the BJP working committee meeting last month, the responsibility for the defeat was placed on Yogi Adityanath.
Deputy CMs Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak openly discussed matters implying that the Uttar Pradesh government was to blame for the defeat. However, Yogi's camp continuously argued that their suggestions were ignored during ticket distribution, questioning why the blame was solely on them. Yogi is now demanding autonomy for the upcoming by-elections. According to a report in the Indian Express, there are considerations to grant him this autonomy, which would include involvement in ticket distribution and election campaigns.
On Wednesday, CM Yogi met with RSS Joint General Secretary Arun Kumar in Lucknow. Subsequently, he was to attend a party meeting and have personal discussions with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP National President JP Nadda in Delhi on Thursday evening.
Last Month, Yogi Signaled by Appointing Ministers as Incharges for Each Seat
The Indian Express reports that people close to Adityanath claim he wants full autonomy in finalizing candidates, strategizing campaigns, and appointing party leaders. Yogi's demand for autonomy comes from claims that grass-root level workers' suggestions were ignored during the Lok Sabha elections, causing the BJP's seats to drop to 33, nearly half of what was held in 2019. Following this, Yogi began preparations for the by-elections.
Adityanath faces the challenge of winning 10 assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh to compensate for losses in the Lok Sabha. In July, he formed a 'Special 30' team, including 30 ministers to work on the 10 seats where by-elections are due. Interestingly, Deputy CMs Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak were not included in this team, possibly due to their absence from Yogi's meetings at that time. The tension was high, which raised questions about whether the party organization supported Yogi's plans.
On July 14, 2024, in Lucknow, a BJP working committee meeting was held to review the Lok Sabha defeat. During this meeting, a few cabinet members, including both Deputy CMs, targeted CM Yogi Adityanath. Two days later, on July 17, Adityanath held a meeting with his close ministers at his residence with notable absences of Maurya, Pathak, and UP President Bhupendra Chaudhary.
Yogi is Fully Committed to Winning the By-Elections
Yogi's commitment to winning the by-elections is evident from the activities he's undertaken. He has personally taken responsibility for two seats: Milkipur in Ayodhya and Katehri in Ambedkar Nagar. Milkipur became vacant after SP MLA Awadhesh Prasad won the Lok Sabha seat for Faizabad, which includes Ayodhya. In Katehri, SP MLA Lalji Verma defeated current MP and BJP candidate Ritesh Pandey. Yogi has held multiple programs in these regions, keen on addressing the concerns, gathering data, and identifying winning candidates.
Unemployment was cited as a major reason for the Lok Sabha defeat. Yogi organized a job fair in Ayodhya recently. Before his Delhi visit on Thursday, Yogi distributed loans and appointment letters in Mirapur, Muzaffarnagar. Similar events were held previously in Milkipur and Katehri seats.
Keshav Prasad Maurya's Change of Heart Reflects New Political Dynamics
Recently, Yogi scored a major victory when his longtime adversary Keshav Prasad Maurya began singing his praises. This shift occurred following Maurya's controversial comment about a recruitment issue that angered senior leadership. Since then, Maurya has been vocal in praising Yogi, lending support for the upcoming by-elections, indicating a united front within the UP BJP. Maurya's statements about the 'double engine' government highlight both PM Modi and CM Yogi's roles in governance.
At a rally in Mirzapur, Maurya stated, 'Our double-engine government is performing exceptionally well in independent India's history, under the dynamic leadership of PM Modi and CM Yogi. Who is like PM Modi in the world? And in India, no other CM compares to Yogi Adityanath.'
He also praised Yogi on the death anniversary of Kalyan Singh, stating, 'Under Kalyan Singh's governance, UP saw the advent of good governance, developmental projects, and a fight against corruption. CM Yogi is following in these footsteps, emphasizing national pride and devotion.'
