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Civic polls in Uttar Pradesh: BJP mulls over names of mayoral candidates
As per practice, a panel of names would be identified for key posts and sent for the BJP leadership’s clearance. There is a long list of candidates wanting to contest on the party symbol in these civic elections in Uttar Pradesh
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has decided to contest the urban local body polls right down to the ward level on the party symbol, on Sunday mulled over the names of mayoral candidates and those for the nagar parishads and nagar panchayats.
After a party meeting, the BJP top brass were closeted with chief minister Yogi Adityanath for a final round of consultations on the names of candidates for the civic polls, in which the BJP traditionally has done well. The BJP is also likely to field several Muslim candidates this time. It is also planning to continue holding ‘pasmanda (backward)’ Muslim meets to woo the minority community ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
“We will finalise candidates for mayoral seats and for nagar panchayat and nagar palika chiefs on the basis of unanimity and in a spirit of cohesiveness,” state BJP chief Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary said after the party meeting.
“Candidates from all sections of the society would be represented in our list,” the U.P. BJP chief said.
As per practice, a panel of names would be identified for key posts and sent for the BJP leadership’s clearance. There is a long list of candidates wanting to contest on the party symbol in these civic elections in Uttar Pradesh, party leaders said.
Yogi Adityanath has already started campaigning for his party by connecting with the electorate in all mayoral seats, where he has been announcing projects and talking of the need to ensure a “triple engine” government.
Triple engine refers to BJP governments at the Centre, state and in urban local bodies.
Soon, deputy chief ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak and other Yogi government 2.0 ministers, currently on foreign tours to generate interest and investment for the global investors summit planned in U.P. in February, are also expected to join the campaign on their return.
From Monday, the BJP will roll out a weeklong campaign (December 12 to 18), for these urban local body polls, that party leaders decided would be contested on the basis of “sampark, samvaad, samanvay, samanjasya, samuhikta (connect, dialogue, coordination, adjustment and cohesiveness)”.
“The notification for these polls could be issued anytime soon. Our cadres will take the party’s message and our government’s work to the masses,” U.P. BJP chief Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary said.
“These polls are important as they are being held ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections,” he said while exhorting the cadres to begin campaign as per the party’s plan and stressed on constituting election committees right down to the ward level.
State BJP general secretary (organisation) Dharampal tasked the party cadres with ensuring support of all sections of the society.
