LUCKNOW Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) national general secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh will hold organisational meetings in Lucknow during his two-day visit to the state capital starting Monday. The visit assumes importance as observers are seeing it as the party leadership plan to take stock of the preparedness ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
BJP leaders have said that during his two-day stay, Santhosh will hold meetings with various party functionaries -- including leaders of various frontal organisations -- and review the various programmes and campaigns launched by the party ahead of the urban local body polls as well as with an eye on 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
The visit comes in the wake of the BJP launching a campaign to win over backward and poor Muslims in the state. The party’s win in Azamgarh, Rampur Lok Sabha bypolls and Rampur (Sadar) assembly seats – all constituencies with significant Muslim population – since June has got the party brass excited. The BJP has now lined up a series of ‘Pasmanda (backward)’ Muslim meets across the state where it has been telling the people how the poorest of the poor Muslim has benefited under BJP rule.
During his visit, Santhosh could also assess party’s plan to connect with Muslims in U.P. In the now-delayed urban local body polls too, the BJP has plans to field several Muslim candidates, party leaders have confirmed. “U.P. is a key state. After winning 73 seats of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in 2014 Lok Sabha polls and then despite a SP-BSP alliance, still managing to sweep the state in 2019 Lok Sabha polls, were key to BJP successes at the Centre. That is why the BJP is again looking at U.P. as a politically crucial state. The win in constituencies with substantial Muslim vote has been very satisfying,” a senior BJP leader said.
{{/usCountry}}During his visit, Santhosh could also assess party’s plan to connect with Muslims in U.P. In the now-delayed urban local body polls too, the BJP has plans to field several Muslim candidates, party leaders have confirmed. “U.P. is a key state. After winning 73 seats of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in 2014 Lok Sabha polls and then despite a SP-BSP alliance, still managing to sweep the state in 2019 Lok Sabha polls, were key to BJP successes at the Centre. That is why the BJP is again looking at U.P. as a politically crucial state. The win in constituencies with substantial Muslim vote has been very satisfying,” a senior BJP leader said.
{{/usCountry}}On Monday, BJP national vice-president and state in-charge Radha Mohan Singh, along with party’s top state leadership including U.P. BJP chief Bhupendra Chaudhary, state general secretary (organisation) Dharampal Singh, and state co-in-charges Satyakumar, Sanjeev Chaurasia and Sunil Ojha, will be present during the meetings that Santhosh will hold, said BJP leaders. “BL Santosh will review the ongoing programmes and guide us as to how to move ahead,” state BJP chief said.