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Polls in mind, BJP plans a bouquet of social outreach and people-connect
Health check-up camps at the district level, a water conservation drive or a camp to encourage people to take Covid-19 booster shots appear more like activities of some non-government organisation (NGO) than a campaign by a mainstream ruling political party
Health check-up camps at the district level, a water conservation drive or a camp to encourage people to take Covid-19 booster shots appear more like activities of some non-government organisation (NGO) than a campaign by a mainstream ruling political party.
Yet, on Tuesday, the ruling BJP, whose functionaries met at the state party headquarters in Lucknow, finalised a series of such campaigns – ones that would serve as social outreach and public-connect combo – activities that the party is hoping would help it in civic elections likely to be held in Uttar Pradesh (U.P.) in November-December.
The BJP currently has mayors in 14 of the 17 mayoral seats, while BSP has two – both in west U.P – Aligarh and Meerut. The BJP has traditionally done well in these urban polls but is desperate to win the two west U.P mayoral seats ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
The BJP had won more Nagar Palika Parishad seats (70) than SP (45) and won 100 Nagar Panchayat chairman’s posts against SP’s 83 but had still trailed behind the Samajwadi Party which won 202 municipal corporation wards against BJP’s 596.
Thus, the BJP functionaries who met at the party office, deliberated on the civic elections while finalizing a bouquet of social outreach campaigns, ones that are aimed at helping the cadres connect better with the people.
“From September 17, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday, the BJP youth wing will hold blood donation camps across the state. On September 18 the BJP cadres would hold free health check-up camps and on September 19, the ruling party will hold an exhibition on Modi’s life,” the U.P. BJP chief Bhupendra Singh and state general secretary (organisation) Dharampal Singh said.
On September 20, the BJP cadres will hold cleanliness camps at the ward level, where politically the BJP trailed the SP in last civic polls and on September 21, the cadres will participate in a cleanliness campaign at all Amrit Sarovars that are coming up in the state. These Amrit Sarovars – water bodies across the state – are to be developed as local attractions.
“On September 22, the party cadres will make people aware of the need to conserve water and the next day, the BJP will hold a campaign – vocal for local – an initiative to promote local products,” party leaders said.
On September 24, the party cadres will hold camps to distribute prosthetics. September 25 is the birth anniversary of party ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyaya which will be celebrated at the booth level. The booths are an integral part of the BJP’s political campaign.
“On September 26, programmes will be organised on the ‘Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat’ theme and the next day, September 27, the party will hold an interaction with beneficiaries of various government initiatives. On September 28, the party will hold meetings with intellectuals and the next day hold a special drive to encourage people to take booster shots for continued protection against Covid-19.
On September 30, the party will hold a campaign for a TB-free India and U.P, by reaching out to TB patients in hospitals with food, medicine, the BJP leaders said. The booth-level focus of the party will again be evident on October 1 when cadres will carry out plantation campaign at the booth level. On October 2, the BJP will take up a Khadi promotion campaign.
