LUCKNOW: With three Yogi mantris along with six other sitting BJP MLAs and one each from SP and BSP having elected to the Lok Sabha, Uttar Pradesh is set to witness an electoral challenge on 12 assembly seats soon.
While SP and BSP, who had come closer after 2018 bypoll by defeating the BJP in Yogiland Gorakhpur, Phulpur, Kairana and Noorpur Assembly seat, have broken off, the BJP is gearing up for the upcoming challenge with all its might.
Taking no chances, the saffron party has drawn an elaborate plan not only to retain all its seats but also try to snatch some -- Rampur (SP), Jalapur (Ambedkarnagar -BSP)-- from opposition's kitty.
As the race for tickets gains momentum in the saffron party, it has deputed over a dozen Yogi ministers, including the two deputy CMs and around two dozen other senior leaders from the organisation, to take care of 12 bypoll bound assembly seats as part of its strategy.
The entire battery of BJP leaders is entrusted with holding booth-level meetings to assess the situation on the ground in all 12 assembly constituencies, get the sense of anti-incumbency factor if any and also ensure immediate redressal of the grievances of grass root worker.
Moreover, the party is set to commence its membership drive from July 6 during which it would try to reach out to unexplored constituencies like Yadavs, Muslims and Jatavs, who are believed to be anti-BJP. “The party will leave no stone unturned in realising Prime Minister Modi’s mantra of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas and Sabka Vishwas,” says a senior party leader.
Notably, 11 of 12 seats, including Gangoh, Iglas, Tundla, Govind Nagar (Kanpur), Lucknow Cantt, Hamirpur, Manikpur, Zaidpur Balha (all BJP seats), Pratapgarh (BJP ally Apna Dal), Rampur (SP) and Jalalpur in Ambedkarnagar (BSP) will go to bypolls due to the sitting MLAs elected to parliament, Hamirpur seat will go to poll because of sitting BJP MLA Ashok Singh Chandel's disqualification after his conviction in a 22-year-old murder case.
According to party sources, as part of strategy, the BJP has chosen at least one minister, one senior organisational face and a vistarak to be engaged in each seat.
"We can't afford to go complacent. As the cadre has got into relaxation mode, it has to be re-energised at booth level, in mandal committees and sector units,” said a senior BJP leader.
While Deputy CM Keshav Maurya will manage bypoll of Govindnagar assembly constituency in Kanpur from where former Yogi minister Satyadev Pachauri was the sitting MLA who has been elected to LS from Kanpur.
The other deputy CM, Dinesh Sharma, will take care of SP bastion-- Rampur-- from where sitting MLA Azam Khan has gone to parliament. Similarly, other ministers and leaders have also been made incharge of different constituencies.