UP, BJP Ke Makeover Mai Kiska Game Over
Omkar Dattatray
There are indications that at New Delhi high command some Kichhdi is being prepared at Delhi so far as the UP is concerned .It seems that the BJP high command is likely to take some big decision on the state of affairs of UP and the political churning is going on in Delhi as well as in UP and it is to be seen as to who will be out in the likely makeover of the state BJP .It seems that the CM Yogi is time and again proving his majority and trust and there are many thrones in the path which Yogi is traversing .In the past 10 days CM Yogi has met 42 MLA’s and what does this suggest ?Will there be a change of guard in UP .What gossip about the UP political situation and the wedge between the CM Yogi Adhytinath and his deputy Keshav Prasad Mourya is taking place at Delhi .Chief minister Yogi is in full action and he has reviewed the political situation in various Mandals of UP and he has asked Mouriya to meet him in the meeting to be convened in Lucknow and what does this suggest as in the meeting Yogi and Maurya will be face to face. However it is not certain will the deputy CM Maurya attend the crucial meeting convened by Yogi .At the same time Yogi is asked to meet Prime minister Modi at national capital. Yogi will also meet BJP national president JP Nadda and Amit Shah on Saturday .All this suggests that something big is going to happen as far as the UP power politics is concerned .Central leadership of BJP seems to be contemplating to make some new experiment in UP in the near future so that the tussle and wedge between the chief minister Yogi and his deputy Maurya will come to an end .There is some speculation in political circles that there may be change of guards in UP. But doing so will prove very detrimental to the good law and order position in the state where Yogi government has significantly improved the law and order position and all rowdy elements, gangsters and criminals have either left the state or have been liquidate or jailed. So removing Yogi from the helm of affairs is absolutely not in the interest of the UP. Thus all talk of change of guard in the state is fraught with serious consequences and implications. Therefore it is expected that the BJP high command and PM Modi will not take any such decision which will prove to be a setback to the good governance ,transparency and law and order situation .In Yogi’s meeting deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya did not attend it.Keshav Prasad Maurya is meeting party MLA’s and in today’s non presence in the meeting convened by CM Yogi gives some signal to the central leadership of BJP .If there will be confusion and tussle between the CM and Deputy CM as to which is bigger of the two -the organization or government and it will definitely impact the governance in the state .Keshav Prasad Maurya had said already in the open that organization is bigger than the government .Since Maurya is meeting the MLA’s and other party activists .By being absent in the meeting convened by Yogi ,it has given some signal to the party high command. There is need for political churning in BJP at the high command in relation to UP state BJP and the power tussle between CM Yogi and deputy CM Maurya .And what comes out from the sincere churning should be accepted by all concerned and including Yogi & Maurya.BJP leaders ,including Yogi Adityanath and JP Nadda ,reviewed party’s over-confidence ,fake narrative and opposition’s surge.They discussed quota allegations ,worker dignity, PWD vacancy ,Amit Shah’s 2017 success ,June 4 losses, non -Yadav OBC’s PM Modi’s input ,Bhupendra Chaudhary’s role .Focus was on organizational reshuffle and upcoming assembly by polls for 10 seats amid BJP chief’s ambitions .There are cracks in UP,BJP .What is unfolding in Uttar Pradesh amid CM Yogi Adityanath’s rift with his deputy Keshav Maurya.Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya reportedly attacked chief minister Yogi during a recent meeting and said that the organization was bigger than the government.BJP President JP Nadda met with UP governments deputy chief minister Maurya and state unit chief Bhupender Chaudhary in the national capital late on July 16.The separate meetings were held amidst reports of rumblings in the party’s UP unit after its dismal performance in the Lok Sabha elections 2024.The BJP won 33 seats in the Lok Sabha polls 2024 down from 62 it had won from 80 UP seats in 2019 general elections .Overall ,the saffron party’s seats came down from 303 in 2019 to 240 across the country in general polls. The development comes days after UP ,BJP executive meeting was held in the state capital Lucknow .Maurya ,the deputy CM ,is said to have expressed differences with chief minister Yogi Adityanath .Maurya ,reports said ,attacked the chief minister during the meeting and said the organization was bigger than the government .Maurya insisted that government, MLA’s and public representatives should respect party workers .Maurya’s outburst comes amid reports that a section of party leaders are not satisfied with the Yogi’s government since they don’t get any support .Maurya ,who once eyed the CM’s post ,has skipped recent cabinet meetings in protest against the Yogi’s style of functioning .UP BJP chief Bhupendra Chaudhary however ,tried to downplay the differences .He said on July 17,that his party would put its entire might to ensure an ’emphatic’ win in the upcoming by polls and the 2027 assembly elections. It is a matter of pride for us that the government is taking forward the party’s agenda ,”he said .In another instance ,BJP MLA Ramesh Mishra was heard saying in a video that the party was in a ‘precarious’ state .Mishra urged the central leadership to step in. There are indications that BJP’s central leadership was planning to undertake some changes in the party’s structure in UP owing to the reported crisis .Maurya ,who is an OBC face of the party with the backing of the RSS ,might be given an important organizational position in the party to resolve the crisis .Something big is going to happen in UP.As the CM Yogi and his two deputy CM’s namely Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brigesh Pathak have been called to attend Delhi and state chief of the BJP has also been asked to come to Delhi on Saturday .It has come to fore that upcoming by poll will also figure in talks with the central BJP leadership. However in an earlier meeting at Delhi it has been made clear that the UP’s boss will continue to be Yogi .BJP’s rumblings over UP loss ,questions on Yogi way of thinking on this important issue .All the above shows that all is not well in the State BJP and the Yogi government and there is wedge and tussle between Yogi and Maurya and there is some dissidence in the party and the government. This suggests that there may be makeover of the BJP and who will be out in this game of makeover . Nothing certain can be said about it at this juncture as it is premature and only time will reveal the true picture of UP BJP and Yogi government.
(The author is a columnist, social and KP activist)