Pradeep Kapoor
Uttar Pradesh by-elections results have not only boosted the morale of BJP in the state but also consolidated the leadership of chief minister Yogi Adityanath at both state and central level. With victory in seven out nine assembly seats for NDA, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has emerged more powerful in his party after initial set back in Lok Sabha polls held in April/ May this year.
It would be worth mentioning here that after poor performance of BJP in Lok Sabha polls, pressure was built up for change in leadership in UP. So much so, the backward face of the party Keshav Prasad Maurya had become very vocal as he enjoyed support from central leadership of BJP. But Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath survived despite lot of criticism.
Yogi Adityanath started asserting his position as strong chief minister. For the first time since he took over as CM in 2017, Yogi Adityanath got chief secretary and DGP of his choice. With two key officers of his choice, chief minister took the control of entire bureaucracy in his hands. After consolidating his position in the state bureaucracy, Yogi looked toward party and RSS for full cooperation.
Yogi Adityanath took the by-elections for nine assembly seats as personal challenge. As a part of the strategy Chief Minister deputed more than 20 ministers in nine assembly constituencies going to polls. Yogi Adityanath also sought the help from powerful RSS cadres to coordinate with BJP to ensure victory of party candidates. He also held several meetings with important RSS functionaries.
It may be noted that among the other factors responsible for poor performance of party in 2024 Lok Sabha elections was the non-cooperation of RSS. With the control over the state administration and cooperation from party leaders and the Sangh Parivar Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took the command of the by-polls and campaigned in all the nine seats. He addressed 13 rallies and two road shows to mobilise the voters. NDA managed to win seven out of nine seats in the by-elections BJP won Ghaziabad, Khair, Kundarki, Phulpur, Manjhawan and Katehri. The ally RLD retained its seat Meerapur.
While celebrating the victory at party headquarters CM Yogi Adityanath attributed the victory to PM Narendra Modi’s slogan “Ek rahenge to safe rehenge”, good governance of double engine governments at the centre and state, good governance, development projects and welfare schemes. He also gave credit to cooperation from party leaders and workers in the elections. CM Yogi Adityanath’s slogan ” Batoge to Katoge” was approved by RSS and talked about in UP and Maharashtra political campaign before polls..
The selection of the candidate is also responsible for the good fight given by the candidates. Six out nine candidates in NDA we’re changed. The main opposition Samajwadi Party managed to retain only two seats. Karhal which is considered pocket burrow of Yadav family in Mainpuri and Sisamau in Kanpur.
But biggest loss for Samajwadi Party is in Kundarki where total muslim population is over 60 percent. In a most surprise result, BJP’s candidate Ramvir Singh won by the margin of 1.44 lakhs in Kundarki in Moradabad. Such a big win is not possible without split in Muslim votes.
Former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav has blamed large scale malpractices which were seen by the people of the country through videos clicked during voting. He blamed large scale bungling in Kundarki assembly seat. He alleged that people without ink on their fingers were marked as voted in the records of the polling booths.
The SP president said the forensic tests of EVM machines could expose large scale corruption on voting day. Former chief minister said that BJP government deliberately removed the officials belonging to PDA (Pichda, dalit and alpsangkhayak) from the election duty in the constituencies going to polls. The over confidence of Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav especially after Lok Sabha polls is also responsible for poor performance of the party in the by-elections.
Akhilesh Yadav failed to take Congress and other parties on his side during the polls. There was no discussion with Congress for seat sharing. Samajwadi Party unilaterally announced candidates which angered Congress leadership. That is why Congress leaders and workers maintained distance from Samajwadi Party candidates.
Similarly in some constituencies, the presence of AIMIM and Azad Samaj Party of Chandra Shekhar Ravan became the spoiler and damaged the chances of Samajwadi Party candidates. Akhilesh Yadav could not weave the magic of PDA to get those voters this time during by-elections.
Unless Akhilesh Yadav brings about changes in his attitude toward Congress and other parties and become more accommodating it would be very difficult to face BJP in 2027 assembly polls. The SP has lost the advantage which it gained after the recent Lok Sabha elections when the party got 37 seats far above the BJP tally in the state during 2024 Lok Sabha polls. (IPA)
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