BJP now looks to strengthen hold in Azamgarh, Rampur

LUCKNOW: Days after winning the opposition Samajwadi Party’s citadels of Azamgarh and Rampur in the Lok Sabha bypolls, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party government has now decided to build on its newfound gains in these districts.

“The idea is to strengthen the BJP’s control here,” party leaders said. They admitted that the wins have been a big morale booster and the effort would be on keeping the gains intact ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

After defeating Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav’s cousin Dharmendra Yadav in the bypolls, Bhojpuri actor and singer and now the new Azamgarh MP, Dinesh Lal Yadav ‘Nirahua’ met chief minister Yogi Adityanath and BJP general secretary (organisation) Sunil Bansal on Tuesday and was told to dedicate time in his constituency.

Adityanath is learnt to have told Nirahua that since people have reposed their trust in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the party will have to live up to the faith shown by the masses. “Yes, we will work wholeheartedly for the people now. We will invest each minute of ours in people’s service,” Nirahua said at the U.P. BJP office. In Rampur former Azam Khan aide Ghanshyam Lodhi defeated Samajwadi Party district chief and Azam loyalist Asim Raja.

Orders have been issued to review projects that had been pending in these two constituencies.

“No project or proposal should remain pending in these places,” the chief minister directed the officials. The CM office would be monitoring all work undertaken in these districts, officials said.

All through the bypoll campaign, the BJP leaders had appealed to the people to vote for the BJP and feel the benefits of the “double engine government.”