Amit Shah to hold organisational meeting in Varanasi on November 12 ahead of UP polls

Ahead of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to visit Varanasi on November 12 where he will hold an important organisational meeting. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will also be present in the meeting.

The Home Minister will also attend the National Official Language Programme in Varanasi and will then visit Azamgarh on November 13. He is also expected to visit Lucknow on November 21. On October 29, HM Shah had visited Lucknow to flag off the mega BJP membership drive ahead of the UP polls. While addressing the membership drive, he had countered Samajwadi Party's taunt on the deadline for Ram Mandir stating "foundation for temple has been put."

He had further said, "Did anyone think that they will be able to see Ram Mandir in our lifetime? Because you gave us 2/3rd majority, Modiji could do Bhoomi Pujan of Ram Mandir at the same place. This Akhilesh & co used to taunt us in 2014, 2017 & 2019 'Mandir wahin banayenge, tithi nahi batayenge'."

UP Assembly Elections 2022

The ruling BJP is fighting under the leadership of its incumbent Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. While SP chief Akhilesh Yadav has announced that he will not fight the polls personally, the party is expected to ally with smaller political parties for the 2022 Assembly polls. Mahan Dal, NCP, SBSP are some of the names that have emerged. Meanwhile, BSP's Mayawati has already announced that her party will fight polls alone in UP and Uttarakhand, and with Akali Dal in Punjab. Congress has campaigned under the leadership of Priyanka Gandhi in the state, aiming for its solo return. 

'Will contest UP polls': CM Yogi Adityanath 

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanth on Friday confirmed that he will contest the upcoming assembly polls if his party decides so. Speaking to reporters on Friday he said that the party's parliamentary board decides who will contest from where. On the other hand, Adityanath's rival Akhilesh Yadav has already ruled out contesting the polls, preferring the Legislative Council route if SP wins. Similarly, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra - UP Congress' campaign face - is mulling to contest state polls from Rae Bareli or Amethi, but is yet to make an official announcement.