Kicking off his party’s preparations for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls scheduled for next year, senior BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed organisational functionaries from across the state — including those in charge of the 403 Assembly constituencies, leaders of district and regional units — in Varanasi on Friday. A party leader who attended the meeting said Shah told the gathering that even if the Congress, SP and BSP come together, they will not be able to defeat the BJP. According to sources, Shah praised the Yogi Adityanath government on law and order, action against mafia and management of health services during the pandemic. Shah is learnt to have said that while every government faces anti-incumbency, the pro-incumbency mood in favour of the Adityanath government was far stronger. Sources said Shah told the gathering that the results of the 2022 UP elections would be crucial for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He said all eyes were on UP, as the route to victory in Delhi passes through this state. In 2017, the BJP and its allies had won 325 Assembly seats. On Friday, Shah asked the state party unit to work towards a bigger victory. काशी के कोतवाल बाबा काल भैरव जी के दर्शन कर पूजा अर्चना की। pic.twitter.com/9ElfdswmUV — Amit Shah (@AmitShah) November 12, 2021 “The focus of the meeting was on organisational strengthening — especially at the booth level — in view of the Assembly elections. We have been asked to register 100 new members at each booth, and connect with first-time voters as well,” said a party leader. Sources said Shah interacted with some constituency in-charges and sought their opinions on organisational work. He also asked state leaders to assign responsibilities to all party workers. While the elections are yet to be announced, sources said the in-charges have been asked to start work in their assigned constituencies. A party leader who attended the meeting said Shah targeted SP president Akhilesh Yadav over his recent remarks on Muhammad Ali Jinnah. “He said that Akhilesh has shown lack of sincerity by comparing Jinnah with Sardar Patel. He also said the BSP and the Congress are weak, and even if all three parties come together, they cannot defeat the BJP,” said the party leader. BJP state unit president Swatantra Dev Singh said Shah asked those who attended the meeting to pledge that “booth jeeta, toh UP jeeta (if the booth is won, UP is won)”. “He discussed the strategy to win 300+ seats and talked about the importance of the constituency in-charge. He said BJP will win the elections on the strength of its workers and the blessings of the public,” Singh said. Adityanath also addressed the meeting. On Saturday, Shah and Adityanath will lay the foundation stone of a state university in Azamgarh and address a public meeting there. Shah will later visit Basti to inaugurate a sports event and travel to Adityanath’s stronghold of Gorakhpur before leaving for Delhi.
