Lucknow: The unexpected results in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the general election in Uttar Pradesh have added to the burden on the state’s Yogi Adityanath government to deliver on the promises earlier made by it, as well as fulfilling the expectations raised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address after being nominated as the BJP leader in Lok Sabha.
The Yogi government had taken over office in March 2017 on the crest of a massive majority for the BJP in the Assembly election, and had started on a confident step of improving the law and order situation and making the state machinery more responsive. However, within months the government faced the charges of conducting fake ‘encounters’ to eliminate criminals, encouraging cow vigilantes, and failing to control the menace of stray cattle lose on school grounds, roads and highways by owners unable to take care of them.
The opposition Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) showed remarkable alacrity to get together to challenge the BJP in seats vacated by Yogi in Gorakhpur and by Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Maurya in Phulpur. In the by-elections held for both seats held in March 2018, the SP candidates in each seat won with a decisive margin. It was a big embarrassment for the government particularly for Yogi who is said to have strong hold over Gorakhpur.
It was felt even within the BJP circles that the two seats were lost mainly because of a joint opposition challenge, but partly also because of the dissatisfaction with the state government over several issues. A report in the media quoting the Political Stock Exchange data compiled by Axis My India for the India Today Group in December 2018 had indicated that Yogi Adityanath's popularity level had “slipped significantly” over the previous three months. He was largely blamed for encouraging communal polarisation in the state. Reports in a section of the media also noted that the incidents of violence against Dalits, over-zealousness of cow vigilantes and his so-called lack of communication with bureaucrats were making him unpopular among the people. It was also said that many officers were upset with Yogi’s approach towards bureaucrats and a course correction, these reports suggested, was required. Even opposition party leaders had started speculating that Yogi could be replaced after the Lok Sabha election if the results were disappointing for the BJP.
However, the state government continued with its plans of improving the pilgrimage centres in Ayodhya, Varanasi and Mathura. Announcement was made to install a massive statue of Lord Ram in Ayodhya, and the Kumbh in Prayagraj was organised on a grand scale.
During the Lok Sabha election campaign, Yogi was among the star campaigners. He visited most states in the country and addressed 163 rallies of which only 37 were organised in UP and rest in other states. His rallies also drew huge crowds everywhere. Incidentally, he was censured by the Election Commission in April for objectionable content in his election speech and was barred from campaigning for 72 hours. But he continued drawing crowds later too.
The BJP campaign, led by Modi, paid off and the BJP won 62 out of 80 seats in the state. Most political observers had anticipated the SP-BSP alliance to do well but it was restricted to 15 seats only against a much higher expectation. It also established Yogi as a major campaigner for the party.
Now, a buoyed Yogi is preparing to turn to his job as chief minister with a new confidence. First, he is planning to have a reshuffle in his ministry since three ministers have made it to the Lok Sabha. In all 9 BJP MLAs had contested the Lok Sabha election and 8 have won. The winners are ministers Rita Bahuguna Joshi (Allahabad), Satyadev Pachauri (Kanpur) and SPS Baghel (Agra). The MLAs who won are R K Singh Patel, Rajvir Singh Valmiki Diler, Upendra Rawat, Pradeep Chaudhary and Akhaybar Lal Gaud. The only MLA and minister to have lost is Mukut Bihari Verma from Ambedkar Nagar.
A reshuffle in the bureaucracy could also be on the cards. Incidentally, a large number of bureaucrats were seen lining up in front of BSP leader Mayawati’s residence in Lucknow on the day the exit polls results had indicated that the SP-BSP alliance could get up to 50 or more seats. But quick to sense the changed atmosphere, bureaucrats now have started circulating information that it was the “good work” done by them which contributed to BJP’s grand show.
It is also being indicated by official sources that the Yogi government will now focus on speeding up pending projects held up because of the election model code of conduct. According to party sources, Yogi is here to stay but the time for a course correction is now, in view of the preparations for the 2022 Assembly election.
