UP polls 2022: BJP touts 'Nationalism vs terrorism' pitch at 'Pal Samaj Samellan'

Targetting specific communities, BJP on Sunday held a 'Pal Samaj Sammelan' in Bilaspur village of Muzaffarnagar. With Union MoS Sanjeev Balyan & UP minister  Kapil Dev Aggarwal in attendance, BJP pitched a 'nationalism Vs terrorism' platform in a bid to woo the community. The 403-seat UP assembly where Yogi rules with an iron-clad majority of 314 seats, is up for grabs in February 2022.

BJP pitches nationalism Vs terrorism

"Those who support nationalism will vote for BJP and those supporting terrorism will vote for any other party. This Assembly election will be based on nationalism and terrorism", said UP minister (Independent charge) Kapil Dev Aggarwal. UP CM Yogi Adityanath has already claimed that Samajwadi governments 'worshipped terrorists' and filed unnecessary cases against Hindus.

On Friday, Adityanath, while addressing a Lucknow event, said, "During SP govt terrorists were worshiped, cases were lodged against Hindus and Ram bhakts were shot at. In 2012, when SP came to power, there were riots in Kosi kalan and what did the SP govt do first when it came to power? SP withdrew cases against terrorists who attacked Ram Janmabhoomi. When we came to power, we waived off farm loans. They work for terrorists, we work for poor."

BJP's community-based campaign

On October 18, Adityanath held a “Prajapati samaj sammelan” in a bid to woo the potter community followed by a 'Yadav samaj samellan'. Targetting several sects like the Brahmins, Yadavs, Dalits, BJP aims to hold 27 such conventions across the state as part of its ‘Samajik Pratinidhi Sammelan’ program. Both BSP and SP have held  'Prabudh Sammelan' to woo the Brahmin community. Both parties have alleged that Dalits and Brahmins are living in fear in the state due to BJP, accusing Yogi Adityanath of favouring only his community - Thakurs.

Yogi's UP campaign

With BJP fighting under the leadership of incumbent CM Yogi Adityanath, several fronts have cropped up to challenge the ruling BJP. Parties like AAP, Shiv Sena, Azad Samaj Party and JDU have announced that they will be contesting for the UP polls. While AIMIM and Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party were eyeing an alliance with Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj, its chief Om Prakash Rajbhar has announced his support for the Samajwadi party.  SP chief Akhilesh Singh Yadav has stated that SP will only ally with smaller political parties for the 2022 Assembly polls, holding talks with Mahan Dal, NCP, SBSP. Mayawati has already announced that her party will fight polls alone in UP and Uttarakhand, while allying only with Akali Dal in Punjab. Congress has aggressively campaigned under the leadership of Priyanka Gandhi in the state, eyeing its solo return.