The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday released a list of 30-star campaigners for Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. While many star campaigners like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah are on the list, party MPs and mother-son duo Maneka Gandhi and Varun Gandhi have been excluded from the list. The duo has been victorious multiple times from Sultanpur and Pilibhit. In the recent rejig of the BJP national executive committee, the two were also dropped from that list. BJP released a list of 30 leaders who will campaign for the party’s candidates in the first phase of the upcoming Uttar Pradesh election.
The first name on that list includes Prime Minister Narendra Modi, followed by party national president J.P. Nadda. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and BJP candidate from Gorakhpur Yogi Adityanath also features on the list of star campaigners.
Others on that list include Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah and state president Swatantra Dev Singh. Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, Smriti Irani, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Dinesh Sharma Keshav Prasad Maurya are on the list. Sanjeev Balyan and Radha Mohan Singh amongst others are on the list.
Varun Gandhi has taken to Twitter on multiple occasions questioning his party on farmers’ issue and also Lakhimpur Kheri issue, subtly blaming his government in the Centre and in the state for not taking quick action.
Given the constraints of campaigning because of the spread of COVID, the BJP is likely to hit the campaign trail in UP in a phased manner, doing door-to-door campaigning and from there on doing closed-door meetings which would allow 300 people. Sources say that top leaders including Home Minister Amit Shah and national president J.P. Nadda will start touring UP starting the third week of January.
ALLIANCE WITH APNA DAL, NISHAD PARTY
Meanwhile, BJP on Wednesday announced that it would contest the upcoming Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh with the NDA allies including Apna Dal and Nishad Party on all 403 Assembly seats. “NDA allies are contesting together just like we did in 2019 Lok Sabha elections. BJP, Apna Dal and Nishad Party will jointly contest polls on 403 seats in upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly Polls. We have had a detailed discussion with both of the parties in the past few days,” BJP national president JP Nadda said. Union Home Minister Amit Shah posted a picture on Twitter comprising Apna Dal chief Anupriya Patel, Sanjay Nishad from Nishad Party, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, BJP chief Nadda and others, to tweet in Hindi, “Had a meeting today with @JPNadda, @myogiadityanath and UP’s allies @AnupriyaSPatel and Sanjay Nishad. The blessings of the people of Uttar Pradesh are with the NDA and under the leadership of PM @narendramodi, the NDA coalition is going to form the government with a thumping majority.”
Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry and national president of Apna Dal Anupriya Patel refuted reports that the party has demanded 36 assembly seats from the BJP in the forthcoming polls. “I do not know where this figure is coming from. I have made no demand of 36 seats from BJP. We have not quoted anything regarding the number of seats in front of the media. Our talks are going in a good direction,” Patel told ANI. “Winnability is the only criterion that we have to demand the seats. We have to work and ensure a better Uttar Pradesh and I’m sure we will get another term. The seat-sharing formula is working in a good and positive manner,” she said.
Meanwhile, BJP MP and a senior leader from Uttar Pradesh Rita Bahuguna Joshi said that she is patiently waiting for the decision of the party’s top leadership about her proposal sent to BJP chief J.P. Nadda for giving ticket to her son in the upcoming state Assembly elections.
Sources close to Joshi said, “She (Rita Joshi) is waiting for the party’s decision on her proposal which will be taken after the meeting today. She is hoping that their decision will be communicated to her and accordingly, she will make her next move.”
There is speculation that Joshi is in touch with the Samajwadi Party and other parties in the state.
WITH AGENCY INPUTS.