The Uttar Pradesh BJP chief, Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary, recently met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. This meeting, which lasted about an hour, comes at a critical time as the party is reviewing its performance in the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh. The BJP, despite its stronghold in the Hindi heartland, did not perform as expected, prompting the need for introspection and strategy adjustments.
Chaudhary reportedly discussed the party's organisational issues with the Prime Minister. The BJP is gearing up for several challenges, including ten assembly bypolls in Uttar Pradesh, although the Election Commission has yet to announce the dates.
Speculations are rife about a potential alliance between the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress for these bypolls. In the recent Lok Sabha elections, the SP won 37 seats, the BJP secured 33, and the Congress won six seats in alliance with the SP.
In a related development, Chaudhary and Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya also met with BJP president JP Nadda. These discussions focused on understanding the reasons behind the party's underperformance in the Lok Sabha elections. The central leadership is actively seeking feedback from various leaders to address the shortcomings and prepare for future elections.
The opposition has not been silent about the BJP's internal issues. Following the Lok Sabha results, opposition leaders have pointed out a discord within the ruling party in Uttar Pradesh. A post from the Office of Keshav Prasad Maurya highlighted the importance of the organisation over the government, stirring political discussions.
Maurya responded to SP chief Akhilesh Yadav’s comments by asserting that the BJP is strong both at the state and national levels and is poised to win the 2027 assembly elections.
Maurya, in his second term as Deputy CM, has a notable political journey. He was the state BJP chief during the party's significant victory in the 2017 assembly elections, which led to Yogi Adityanath becoming the Chief Minister.
Although Maurya lost in the 2022 assembly polls, he continued as Deputy CM and was later elected to the Legislative Council. His recent comments on social media emphasised the organisation’s priority and the pain felt by party workers.
Union Minister BL Verma downplayed Maurya's remarks, suggesting that the organisation and the government complement each other. He stressed the importance of both entities working together for the state's development.
Verma also noted that discussions and meetings, whether formal or informal, are part of the party’s continuous effort to strategize for future victories, including the 2027 assembly polls.
Akhilesh Yadav, the SP chief, accused the BJP of internal power struggles and neglecting public governance. He claimed that the BJP's internal conflicts are a result of their own tactics now turning inward.
Congress leader Pramod Tiwari echoed similar sentiments, recalling past instances when internal BJP strife had significant political consequences. He suggested that the current scenario might lead to similar outcomes, affecting the party's stability in Uttar Pradesh.
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate pointed to a power struggle within the BJP, highlighting Deputy CM Maurya's meetings with Nadda and suggesting a rebellion against Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. This internal turmoil, she claimed, reflects a deeper dissatisfaction among BJP members in Uttar Pradesh.
Recently, a BJP state executive meeting in Lucknow, attended by party chief Nadda, focused on discussing the party's Lok Sabha performance. This gathering underscored the BJP's commitment to introspection and strategic planning to regain its stronghold in Uttar Pradesh and prepare for upcoming electoral challenges.
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