For BJP, panchayat polls a ‘test’ match before 2022 UP assembly elections

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) ‘over-investment’ of time and energy in the panchayat elections, likely in March, is being seen as the party’s rehearsal for the 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.

Observers say the BJP is preparing the ground for 2022 by using the rural polls as a ‘test’ match.

“The BJP is only trying to keep the organisation machinery oiled and activated for the 2022 battle by keeping workers engaged in the village panchayat elections that will be followed by the indirect elections for the post of zila panchayat and kshetra panchayat chairpersons,” pointed out a political observer, who keeps a close watch on BJP affairs.

The BJP has been working hard for quite some time to make a foray into rural areas by building the party organization up to the booth level. In the same continuity, it has now begun district-level meetings of party workers between January 7 and 17 for the rural polls. The BJP’s state-in charge Radha Mohan Singh had several rounds of meetings before chalking out a detailed programme and assigning duties to leaders, a source said.

On Sunday, Radha Mohan held a meeting with party workers in Chandauli while state BJP president Swatantra Dev Singh visited Ayodhya and held day-long deliberations to give final shape to preparations for the panchayat polls.

The panchayat polls (for the post of pradhans) and elections for zila panchayat and kshetra panchayat members will be held simultaneously. The pradhan polls are not held on party basis. It is only the zila panchayat and kshetra panchayat polls for which political parties officially field candidates. Elections for the post of zila panchayat and kshetra panchayat chairpersons will be held only later.

The BJP has also announced that it would contest only zila panchayat elections (members as well as chairpersons).

“But the BJP is creating an unusual hype around panchayat polls at all levels in a bid to further strengthen its base in villages where it still faces a formidable challenge from Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party,” another observer said.

A BJP leader, who did not wish to be identified, said keeping party workers busy and not letting them rest was part of the party’s work style. “The party keeps on giving new tasks to workers to avoid them being lethargic. So earlier, the party organised booth-level seminars, then it began kisan panchayats and now is organising district-level meetings for panchayat polls and after that, it will come out with some new plan,” he said.

Swatantra Dev Singh said there was nothing unusual in the party focusing so much on rural polls. “We fight all elections, small or big, with the same might and seriousness,” he said. “Like assembly by-polls and Vidhan Parishad polls that we fought with full preparations earlier, the panchayat elections now are an opportunity for us to gear up for 2022,” he added.