Lucknow: The BJP will work with its allies to repeat the performance of the 2017 assembly polls on the strength of the work done in the state, party leaders said after a meeting with BJP president Nitin Nabin on Sunday.
Later in a meeting with NDA allies, Nabin discussed measures to strengthen the alliance but no discussion was held on seat-sharing, party sources said.
“The Bharatiya Janata Party is capable of fighting elections. We will ensure that all NDA constituents continue to work together to make Uttar Pradesh an ‘Uttam Pradesh’,” the BJP chief told reporters after meeting BJP allies at the Taj Hotel.
Nabin will later hold separate meetings with Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak at their respective residences.
Another meeting between the BJP chief and its alliance partners will be held later in the day. Leaders of the BJP allies in the State said the meeting would focus on strengthening the coalition, expanding its organisational base and evolving a strategy to ensure the NDA’s return to power in the State.
After the meeting of ex-BJP State presidents, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said, “The BJP will form the government for the third consecutive time in Uttar Pradesh in 2027 under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on the strength of the work we have done.
“The people of Uttar Pradesh do not want goonda raj, mafia raj, dynastic politics or riots. They want development, good governance, and security.” If the Samajwadi Party returns, it will “crush people, intimidate them,” and land grabbing would be back, Maurya, a former BJP State president, said.
“A developed India and a developed Uttar Pradesh by 2047 is our goal, and for the next 21 years, the Samajwadi Party will not even be close to power,” he said.
About the meeting with BJP president Nabin, he said, “We discussed that the government and the organisation will work together to repeat the 2017 performance and secure an even bigger victory in 2027. All our NDA allies will remain united.” Former state president and UP Minister Swatantra Dev Singh said the party’s message is to take the welfare schemes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to every village.
He said that the BJP, being a cadre-based party, derives its strength from its workers. “Our workers rise above casteism, regionalism, individualism, family rule and dynastic politics, and are guided by nationalism.” The party always respects and cares for its workers because today’s worker is tomorrow’s leader, the Minister added.
Asked about seat-sharing, he said, “We will discuss it in the meeting. With RLD’s support, the NDA government will be formed again,” he said.
Nishad Party president Sanjay Nishad said the deliberations would centre on securing a “historic victory” by ensuring success on all seats, strengthening the organisation and taking the alliance’s ideology to the people.
Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar said the meeting would discuss ways to improve upon the NDA’s 2017 Assembly election performance.
“We are preparing for all 403 Assembly seats and working to get more seats in the 2027 polls than in 2017,” Mr Rajbhar said. Apna Dal (Sonelal) leader Ashish Patel said his party’s focus was not on seat-sharing, but on ensuring the NDA’s victory.
“We do not fight for seats but for victory. We are working to strengthen our organisation,” Patel said. Responding to a question on the Samajwadi Party’s PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) plank, Patel said, “We ourselves are a part of PDA. In this election, the difference between their PDA and ours will be clear.”
