BJP Resolves Internal Rift as UP Bypolls Approach

New Delhi:Impending bypolls in the 10 Uttar Pradesh Assembly seats will have a bearing on the political climate in the state and the BJP's prospects beyond that. The point is not lost on the saffron party, which is why the warring factions in the BJP appear to be in the process of burying their hatchets, if not for good, at least for the time being.

The Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, who was allegedly leading the anti-Yogi Adityanath camp, has not only changed his tone but also praised Mr Adityanath, calling him the "best chief minister in the country".

Addressing party workers in Mirzapur, Mr Maurya said that the Uttar Pradesh chief minister is the best in the country and that the best work is being done in the state. He also urged the BJP workers to strengthen the party at the grassroots.

Mr Maurya's assertions at Mirzapur are being viewed as a message to the electorates and political rivals alike -- the BJP is signalling that compromise has been reached between the warring groups and now the party is focused on winning the bypolls.

The thaw can be judged from the fact that in the last couple of days, besides attending government and organisation meetings with the chief minister, Mr Maurya publicly endorsed and praised Mr Adityanath’s leadership.

The development will please the RSS, which had asked the BJP to set the house in order in Uttar Pradesh ahead of politically crucial bypolls.

In a meeting with senior BJP leaders at the chief minister’s residence on Wednesday, senior RSS functionary Arun Kumar emphasised furthering the party’s outreach and agenda with more conducive and concrete coordination between the organisation and the government.

After BJP's poor show in the last Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh, Mr Maurya, a prominent OBC face of the party, had repeatedly commented about the organisation being above the government. Mr Maurya remarks were widely seen as an attack on the chief minister.

Bypolls are to be held on 10 assembly seats that fell vacant after nine MLAs were elected as members of Parliament in the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year and the MLA of Sishamau was convicted and given a seven-year jail sentence.

The importance of the bypolls can be judged from the fact that chief minister Mr Aditynath has deployed 30 ministers and 15 senior leaders as caretakers across 10 Assembly seats going to bypolls across Uttar Pradesh.

The Election Commission has yet to announce the dates of polling for Majhava, Katehari, Karhal, Milkipur, Kundarki, Khair, Ghaziabad, Meerapur, Phulpur and Sisamau Assembly constituencies.