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Mainpuri bypoll: BJP rolls out counter-strategy after Samajwadi Party puts up united front
Several Uttar Pradesh ministers to camp in Mainpuri, two other constituencies where bypolls will be held on December 5, door-to-door campaign planned
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday quickly rolled out a series of politically significant decisions in connection with the Mainpuri, Rampur and Khatauli bypolls after the main opposition Samajwadi Party (SP) projected a united front
In particular, about half-a-dozen ministers would camp in Mainpuri, where the Lok Sabha bypoll is a prestige battle for the Samajwadi Party, which has fielded former MP Dimple Yadav, wife of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav.
The move came hours after Akhilesh Yadav and Dimple met Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party-Lohia chief Shivpal Yadav in Saifai, political observers noted.
On Wednesday, Shivpal had appealed to his supporters to “back Dimple for saachi shraddhanjali (true tribute) to “netaji”,
Ministers would also campaign in Rampur and Khatauli assembly constituencies where, too, by-elections will be held on December 5. The Khatauli assembly seat in Muzaffarnagar is being contested by SP ally Rashtriya Lok Dal.
The BJP has also already released its list of star campaigners, including top leaders and an array of OBC and Dalit ministers, for a high voltage campaign.
Besides, the BJP’s social media team got active, countering the SP in the virtual space.
Moreover, the BJP has decided on a door-to-door campaigning in the Yadav belt where former SP ally Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) is also contesting.
The BSP, which was accused of dividing Muslim votes in Azamgarh Lok Sabha by-poll facilitating a BJP win in June, has, like the Congress, decided to keep away from December 5 bypoll.
“Akhileshji driving to Shivpalji’s house, after making him a star campaigner, something he hadn’t done in previous by-polls, showcases the strength of the BJP. What Shivpalji does is something we can’t comment on but surely ‘chachaji’, sidelined all this while, is being remembered for a reason. But, for us, it won’t make any difference,” said UP BJP chief Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary.
Chaudhary is among the list of 40-star campaigners announced by the party. The list is topped by defence minister Rajnath Singh, chief minister Yogi Adityanath, deputy chief ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak and a bevy of cabinet ministers, ministers of state, MPs and MLAs.
“About six Yogi ministers would camp in Mainpuri where in 2019 LS polls, our candidate Prem Singh Shakya had lost to netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav) by less than a lakh vote. That time, the SP-BSP had contested together. Now, the SP is counting on sympathy factor. Though we held netaji in high esteem, this time BJP will win here,” a senior BJP leader indicated.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath, while busy in Gujarat polls where he is named a star campaigner, would also campaign here, BJP leaders said.
Both sides engaged in some psychological posturing too. While SP put out a tweet stating that chief minister Yogi Adityanath hadn’t released funds for departments held by two deputy CMs and that he didn’t accord any respect to the UP BJP chief either, the BJP hit back.
“What can one expect from a party, whose leader’s treatment to his father and uncle are well known,” said Ankit Singh Chandel, UP BJP social media head.
