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Updated June 22nd, 2021 at 08:22 IST

'PM Modi's name & patronage enough to win polls': AK Sharma sparks buzz over UP CM's role

Setting the rumours mills abuzz, Uttar Pradesh BJP vice president AK Sharma contended that PM Modi's name and patronage is enough to win the Assembly polls. 

Reported by: Akhil Oka
BJP, Yogi
Image: Twitter/PTI | Image:self
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Setting the rumours mills abuzz, Uttar Pradesh BJP vice president AK Sharma contended that PM Modi's name and patronage is enough to win the upcoming Assembly polls. This assumes significance amid the conflicting statements over Yogi Adityanath's future as the Chief Minister after the election. In a letter addressed to UP BJP president Swatantra Dev Singh on June 20, Sharma thanked the party for appointing him as the vice president and pledged his best contribution to the country.

BJP MLC AK Sharma remarked, "In my humble opinion, even today, the people of Uttar Pradesh love Modiji the same they had done in 2013-14. To win the upcoming (UP Assembly) elections, the name and patronage of this mass leader is enough. Along with this, there are blessings of the party chief and seniors." Weighing in on the decades-long bureaucratic career since 1988, PM Modi's trusted aide stressed that he has remained associated with rural India and the society at large.

Recalling that he has received an award from the state administration for his work as an IAS officer, Sharma added that he has served as the District Magistrate in three districts of Uttar Pradesh. "From 2001 to 2021, I had the honour of making a small offering and helping him as an assistant in the historic march of 'Vikas Purush' Narendra Modi from being the Chief Minister (of Gujarat) to the Prime Minister," he said. Thereafter, he exuded confidence in BJP winning more seats than the 2017 election under the leadership of UP CM Yogi Adityanath. 

AK Sharma's role ahead of 2022 UP polls

In the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election, BJP won a whopping 312 seats in the 403-member House whereas BSP could win only 19 seats. On the other hand, the SP-Congress alliance failed to bear fruit as it could win in only 54 constituencies. While this was seen as a mandate for PM Modi as BJP had not declared any CM candidate, Gorakhpur MP Yogi Adityanath was a surprise pick for the post. Though Adityanath's stature within the saffron party skyrocketed over the years becoming a star campaigner in all elections, he purportedly attracted ire for the handling of the COVID-19 situation during the second wave.

The political scenario in the state took an interesting turn after Union MSME secretary AK Sharma took voluntary retirement and joined BJP in January earlier this year. Having worked closely with Narendra Modi during his tenure as Gujarat CM, Sharma is credited for successfully managing the Vibrant Gujarat campaign to get investments for the state. Thereafter, he was elected to the UP Legislative Council.

While Varanasi had been one of the worst-hit districts in Uttar Pradesh owing to the second novel coronavirus wave, Sharma took charge of the situation leading to a decline in cases. His initiatives include increasing testing centres, ramping up the vaccination drive, setting up the 'Kashi COVID response center', procuring ventilators, oxygen concentrators and oximeters and launching the  'Kashi Kavach telecounseling'. While speculation is rife that he will be inducted into the UP Cabinet, reports suggest that the CM is not in favour of a Cabinet expansion.

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Published June 22nd, 2021 at 08:22 IST

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