Yogi arrives after “guidance” sessions with suggestions for BJP’s Mission UP
The meetings mark the end to the speculation about developments in BJP that dominated the political horizons for the past two to three weeks
LUCKNOW: As chief minister Yogi Adityanath arrives here late on Friday evening after two days of political discussions in New Delhi, he apparently carries a long list of directives/suggestions and corrections that needed to be carried out to accomplish the BJP’s Mission UP 2022.
Besides meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief JP Nadda on Friday, he met Union home minister Amit Shah on Thursday.
Yogi, in his tweets, later said he sought guidance of party leaders and thanked them for their “valuable” time for these meetings.
An official spokesman also said the meetings were held in a cordial atmosphere. Though the chief minister or his close aides did not say anything about the issues that may have come up for discussion there, the meetings apparently mark the end to the speculation about developments in BJP that dominated the political horizons for the past two to three weeks.
“Yes, these meetings mark an end to reports of a rift in the BJP at top levels. A lot was being speculated in the media and a consensus has been apparently worked out on various issues that include cabinet expansion and the 2022 assembly elections. The chief minister must have briefed the party leaders about his government’s performance on various fronts and its strategy for Covid-19 management,” said professor Badri Narayan, director of Govind Ballabh Pant Social Science Institute, Prayagraj.
“Apparently, there will be a reshuffle at the Centre and in the state keeping in view the forthcoming elections. It is time to amicably resolve all the issues and pacify dissenters,” said SK Dwivedi, former professor and head of department political science, Lucknow University.
As the meetings were held in the backdrop of rising concerns about BJP’s below-expectation performance in the panchayat elections and the feedback sessions that party leaders and Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) functionaries held here, the party leadership wanted to discuss and convey some suggestions and corrections.
Better coordination with the party organisation and allies, the need to be more accommodative to MPs and legislators and a cabinet reshuffle to strike a caste balance are some of the aspects that remained the point of discussion in the corridors of power here as a number of BJP leaders, including union ministers and his own cabinet colleagues questioned UP’s Covid-19 management earlier.
Yogi Adityanath’s cabinet has seven vacancies and the chief minister may use the opportunity of a reshuffle to not only drop non-performers and accommodate the high command’s nominees but also provide a balanced team capable of carrying out expeditious development and countering the Opposition. A reshuffle in the state cabinet and administration to fill vacant posts will give a message of change.
The BJP’s move to induct former Union minister Jitin Prasada, projecting him as a Brahmin face, has also led to speculation about his likely inclusion in the ministry.
Prasada met the chief minister during the latter’s two-day visit to New Delhi. PM’s close aide and former IAS officer Arvind Kumar Sharma’s induction in the ministry is also being considered a major possibility after these meetings.