Yogi Adityanath to begin re-election campaign in October; to visit people for feedback

Charting out Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath's re-election campaign, sources reported on Tuesday that the CM will participate in government programmes on 4-5 days in a week from October. Sources added that Adityanath will also tour all districts to get the local pulse ahead of the elections. Moreover, Adityanath will also visit local BJP MLAs' homes and visit people's homes to know the impact of his government's schemes. The 403-seat UP assembly where Yogi rules with an iron-clad majority of 314 seats, is up for grabs in February 2022.

Yogi's 'Abba-jaan' jibe

Adityanath has already kicked off his campaign on a controversial note, alleging that the SP govt along with their used to eat up the ration of the poor, letting them die. He added that 'those who called Abba-jaan used to benefit one community' - referring to Akhilesh Yadav's alleged preference towards Muslims. Vowing that such kind of acts would not occur under BJP, he said that his government had distributed ration in an indiscriminate fashion.

Taking a jibe on Akhilesh Yadav, he said, "Why did the poor not get the ration before 2017? Ration used to reach Nepal and Bangladesh. Those who called their father Abbajan used to benefit a particular section. There used to be caste-based appointment lists. Fair appointments are being made in the BJP government and youth are getting employment". His comments have been slammed by Congress, AAP, AIMIM and J&K NC as 'communal and hateful'. Yadav, on the other hand brushed it off as 'defeat of BJP govt is imminent, hence the chief's language has changed'.

UP Polls 2022

With BJP fighting under the leadership of incumbent CM Yogi Adityanath, several fronts have cropped up to challenge the ruling BJP. While Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj has allied with AIMIM, Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party; parties like AAP, Shiv Sena, Azad Samaj Party and JDU have announced that they will be contesting for the UP polls. 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. 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.

Moreover, in a last attempt bid, Yogi Adityanath also expanded his state cabinet inducting seven new ministers  taking the cabinet strength to 60. With caste equation in mind, Yogi inducted three SC ministers -  Sanjeev Kumar, Dinesh Khateek and Paltu Ram, three OBC ministers - Dharmvir Singh, Dr Sangita Balwant, Chatrapal Gangwar and the Brahmin face - Jitin Prasada. BJP also nominated 4 leaders - Sanjay Nishad, Gopal Anjan Bhurji, Virendra Gurjar and Jitin Prasada to the legislative council.