Lucknow: The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in Uttar Pradesh is likely to witness strategical changes in the party and the government after party president Amit Shah’s visit to Lucknow next week.
Mr Shah will be holding detailed discussions on the party’s strategy for the Lok Sabha elections, possibility of new alliances, changes in the cabinet and coordination with the RSS.
According to sources, the BJP plans to reach out to 47, 000 villages in the state and establish a contact with families that have benefited from the welfare schemes of the Modi and Yogi governments. The party will hold chaupals in these villages and try to bring families into the party fold and take their help in reaching out to other marginalized families.
The party is also likely to give major organisational responsibilities to two UP ministers, Swatantra Dev Singh and Dr Mahendra Singh, both of whom are known for their exceptional organizational skills
Mr Shah, during his visit, will also discuss the possibilities of forging new alliances with smaller parties, particularly those with a pro-Dalit posture. The BJP is apparently uncomfortable with the Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) president and UP minister Om Prakash who has been attacking the Yogi government with an alarming frequency and even threatening to walk out of the alliance.
“The party feels that an alliance with parties like SBSP will not yield gains in the Lok Sabha elections. We will look for new alliances that will bring us greater social acceptability,” said a party functionary.
The BJP in UP has been postponing the cabinet reshuffle due to the apprehension of resentment among party legislators.
Mr Shah is expected to discuss the issue in detail with the party and Sangh leaders and could give the green signal for the cabinet reshuffle.
The party leadership, according to sources, is keen to increase the representation of Dalits in the cabinet. At present, the 47-member council of ministers in UP has five Dalit ministers and the party wants to add on four more.
The names doing roun-ds for inclusion in the cabinet include Vidyasa-gar Sonkar, Ashok Katah-ria, Dr G S Dharmesh and Deenanath Bhaskar.
To assuage the feelings of upper castes, particularly Brahmins, who are agitated over the amendment in the SC/ST Act and the proposed reservation in promotion issue, the BJP is expected to include Brahmin leaders in the council of minister. The probable names include Dr Laxmikant Bajpai from western UP and Vijay Pathak from eastern UP.
The party president will also emphasize on the need for better coordination with RSS leadership that is believed to be upset over the complaints about bureaucracy going out of control in the state.
