UP Dy CM sets 300+ seat target for BJP in 2022 polls; says Party will decide CM face

Setting a 300+ target, Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya on Wednesday predicted that the saffron party will win the UP polls in 2022. Stating that the Yogi government had made more progress in 4 years compared to 15 years of SP-BSP govts, he said that the dreams of SP-BSP will be destroyed. Incidentally, he remained evasive on the CM face, maintaining that the BJP's national leadership will take a call on it. While most BJP leaders have gathered around incumbent Yogi Adityanath to lead the BJP in 2022, the saffron party is yet to make such an announcement.

UP Dy CM: BJP will win 300+ seats   

"We’ve done more development works in 4 years than SP & BSP’s govts of 15 years. We'll again win in 2022 (Assembly election). We’ll win more than 300 seats. Those who are dreaming “Mungerilal Ke Haseen Sapne”, their dreams will be smashed to smithereens," he told reporters in Bareilly.

When asked about BJP's CM face, Maurya said, "Under whose leadership the BJP will fight the next Assembly elections in the state will be decided by the national leadership of the BJP and the parliamentary board. It does not matter under whose leadership the election is being fought. The BJP is the largest party in the world. It is not a private limited company like the SP, BSP and the Congress".

Yogi's Delhi sojourn

Amid rumours of UP cabinet expansion, CM Yogi Adityanath met top BJP leaders including - PM Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and party chief JP Nadda on 10-11 June as BJP gears for seven state elections in 2022. Sources state that there will be no change in party leadership or the state government structure and that a coordination committee will be formed under Adityanath's leadership to bridge the gap between the Centre and state leadership. Recently, several top RSS and BJP leaders visited UP and praised the Yogi government's COVID handling. PM Modi has also lauded Adityanath's initiative to extend emotional support, healthcare, and legal aid to elderly citizens via 'Elderline'.

2022 UP poll campaign

As of date, several fronts have cropped up to challenge the ruling BJP. While Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj is eyeing an alliance with AIMIM, Azad Samaj Party, Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party; parties like AAP, Shiv Sena, and JDU have announced that they will be contesting for the UP polls. Samajwadi Party and BSP have decided to not ally and shut their doors to Congres, opting to ally with smaller parties if needed or go solo. Since then, Congress has aggressively campaigned under the leadership of Priyanka Gandhi in the state, eyeing its solo return. In 2017, amid tumultuous family fights in the Yadav family - with Akhilesh throwing out uncle Shivpal and replacing Mulayam Singh Yadav as the party chief, the then-UP CM stitched an alliance with Congress - with Akhilesh and Rahul Gandhi holding joint rallies. This poll-alliance failed miserably, winning only 55 seats, while the BJP won 312 seats - ushering in Yogi Adityanath's maiden term.