Centre, state’s measures will help BJP return to power in UP, says Anurag Thakur - Hindustan Times
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UP elections: Centre, state’s measures will help BJP return to power, says Anurag Thakur

By, Varanasi
Dec 30, 2021 04:30 AM IST

The law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh has improved vastly during Yogi Adityanath’s tenure, said the Union minister.

Union minister Anurag Thakur has said that the improved law and order situation, the Centre’s social welfare measures and developmental works carried out by the state will help the Bharatiya Janata Party return to power in Uttar Pradesh in the elections next year.

Union minister Anurag Thakur said that the improved law and order situation, the Centre’s social welfare measures and developmental works carried out by the state will help the BJP return to power in the UP elections.
Union minister Anurag Thakur said that the improved law and order situation, the Centre’s social welfare measures and developmental works carried out by the state will help the BJP return to power in the UP elections.

Thakur was speaking to reporters here on the sidelines of the first Kashi Film Festival on Tuesday when he said there would be minimal impact of the farmers’ protests (against the now repealed agricultural laws) on the elections.

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“The law & order situation in Uttar Pradesh has improved vastly during Yogi Adityanath’s tenure. Now you don’t see those motorbike gangs on the streets. People can live safely. The mothers and sisters of the state are no more worried about going out for work and women’s safety also translates into relief for all families,” Thakur, who is the party incharge for UP, said, adding that an improved law and order situation attracts more private investments as industrialists find themselves safe in the state.

Thakur underlined that relief measures such as additional free foodgrains and loan waivers amid the pandemic coupled with ongoing social welfare programmes such as pension, MGNREGS, housing for all and power connection will play a major role in the polls.

“In Uttar Pradesh alone, there are 80 lakh beneficiaries getting old age pension. Millions of people have got houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna, all houses are getting electricity connections. These measures also speak volumes about the Narendra Modi government at the Centre and people are extremely happy with such welfare interventions,” he said.

Thakur’s remarks bring back the focus on how the BJP has been trying to create a votebase out of the beneficiaries of social welfare measures in the state. During the 2019 general election too, a reachout to the beneficiaries of Centre’s welfare schemes were a key part of the party’s electoral campaign.

The minister maintained that he has been meeting people of Uttar Pradesh frequently to get a first hand sense of the ground.

“I don’t take helicopters. I rather travel by road and make numerous pit stops to interact with the common people. Everyone tells me about the improved law and order, welfare programmes and the development of the state,” he said, referring to the new airports, highways and ports in the state.

Thakur also sounded confident that the BJP would do better in western Uttar Pradesh compared to their performance in the last assembly elections.

“As PM Modi said that maybe, due to some deficiency, we failed to make the farmers understand and the agricultural bills were repealed in national interest,” he said.

When asked about the Congress’ bid to woo women voters by announcing reservation in poll tickets, besides a slew of benefits for the women, Thakur said, “I want to ask (Congress general secretary) Priyanka Gandhi Vadra why she didn’t think of women in the last election when the Congress joined hands with Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party, which is known for protecting criminals?”

Countering Thakur, UP Congress spokesperson Zishan Haider said: “The BJP and its leaders are saying all sorts of things... They speak far too many things. Now, people are waiting to give them a befitting reply.”

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