New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party`s Core Committee meeting on the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls conducted a sector-wise review of six areas here on Tuesday under the leadership of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who took feedback from the regional in-charges about the ground reality in the state.
The marathon meeting was held to discuss the poll strategy and to deliberate on the names of probable candidates for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls that will begin on February 10, said an ANI report.
Citing sources, the report said that a detailed discussion on the outline of the future programmes of the election campaign was held during the meeting in view of the Election Commission`s order banning rallies, roadshows and other programs till January 15.
Besides discussing various aspects related to the election strategy, Amit Shah reportedly held a separate meeting with some leaders. He also spoke to the party leaders about the election strategy and the current ups and downs in the party.
In the meeting, the leaders also discussed the seats of western Uttar Pradesh along with the seats of the first and second phases. It will continue from 11 am on Wednesday in which the election strategies and seats would be discussed, according to the report.
The names of the candidates considered in Tuesday`s meeting will be placed before the Central Election Committee on Thursday for the final go-ahead from the top leadership.
Amit Shah, BJP Uttar Pradesh poll in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan, BJP UP General Secretary (Organization) Sunil Bansal and National General Secretary (organization) BL Santhosh also attended the meeting. BJP President Jagat Prakash Nadda, who recently tested positive for COVID-19, also joined the meeting virtually. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, UP BJP president Swatantra Dev Singh and Deputy CMs Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma also attended meeting at the party headquarters in New Delhi.
Earlier in Lucknow on Monday, the BJP`s 24-member Uttar Pradesh election committee deliberated on the names of probable candidates for 113 constituencies that will go to the polls in the first two phases of the seven-phase Assembly elections that begin on February 10.
Swami Prasad Maurya resigns from BJP, 3 MLAs follow suit
Following the resignation of Uttar Pradesh cabinet minister Swami Prasad Maurya from the BJP on Tuesday weeks ahead of the state assembly polls, the party suffered yet another jolt when three of its MLAs resigned citing "ignorance of the state government" of the poor and weaker section of society. Maurya held Cabinet portfolios of labour and social welfare.
The MLAs include Brajesh Prajapati, Bhagwati Prasad, and Roshan Lal Verma. The trio, however, are yet to decide on their future course of action.
Prajapati, who had resigned along with Maurya, told ANI that their demand for the caste-wise census for the OBC was overlooked by the BJP government and added that recruitments to various departments were being done in a wrong manner. He, however, did not reveal which party he will join but said that he will follow whatever his leader (Swami Prasad Maurya) decides.
Another MLA Bhagwati Prasad, who resigned from the party, said that they have been mulling the resignation for a long time and the decision was taken now keeping the "welfare of society" in mind.
In his letter to Governor Anandiben Patel, Swami Prasad Maurya said he was resigning as the state government "ignoring interests" of Dalits, backward sections, farmers, unemployed youth and small traders. A prominent leader from the OBC (Other Backward Class) community, Maurya had joined the BJP from Bahujan Samaj Party in 2016.
Notably, Elections for the 403 assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh will be held in seven phases starting February 10, as the polling in the state will be held on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27 and March 3 and 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.
In the 2017 Assembly elections, the BJP won a landslide victory winning 312 Assembly seats. The party secured a 39.67 per cent vote share in the elections for 403-member Assembly.Samajwadi Party bagged 47 seats, BSP won 19 while Congress could manage to win only seven seats.
(With Agency Inputs)
