Rahul Somvanshi
U P: Nowadays UP is in the news as that state is to elect its new assembly by the middle of March, 2022. That is why Namo is seen almost daily in his constituency of Varanasi. U P is the biggest state in India in terms of population as it has about 25 crores of people to be fed, clothed, housed and educated. During the last five years the BJP govt headed by Yogi Adityanath, the Chief Minister, it seems, has done well, according to daily ads pubLIshed in leading newspapers and Tv channels. But are these claims just for the media to publicise or are there really any developments happening on the field.
Thousands of crores have been spent on the construction of Kashi Vishwanath corridor , Kanpur Metro, new expressways and a lot of other eye-catching programmes like direct payment of Rs two thousand into bank accounts of crores of farmers and a promise of an Ayodhya – like temple at Mathura have brightened chances of a return of as a CM in March, 2022.
The effect of Modi and appointment of K P Maurya, as a Deputy CM, might have pleased a majority of OBCs, who constitute more than a 50% of the state’s population. That is why an opinion poll conducted by VETO for Times Now Navbharat, published in Times of India dated 02 January, 2022, has predicted a comfortable win for BJP. The projected figures are: BJP 230-249, SP137-152, BSP9-14, Cong4-7. It seems the Lakhimpur Kheri incident and the second wave of Covid were seen as having dented the BJP government’s image. Still it is difficult to tell as anything can happen in politics especially in a democracy like India consisting of 1.5 billion people belonging to a variety of religions, climates and linguistic groups.
Many mistakes have occurred during BJP’s campaigning in UP. In one instance BJP leaders boast Yogi’s & PM’s efforts for ‘Bundelkhand irrigation project’, with the image of Srisailam dam.
In another blooper, image of a flyover from WB was used to represent yogi’s developmental work. Later the Newspaper apologised for the mistake.
A look at the inauguration and laying of foundation stones by the PM of a number of development projects indicates a planned approach to win the hearts of people just when the elections are around the corner. It is called a double-engine plan as it combines both the resources of the state and the centre :
1. The PM lays a foundation stone of Noida International Airport, a dream project of C M Yogi with an approximate cost of Rs.30k crore.
2. Namo inaugurated a 341 km Purvanchal Expressway connecting eastern & western U P, built at the cost of 22497 crore.
3. Kushinagar International Airport was inaugurated by the P M on October 20 ,2021.
4. Namo inaugurated the Rudraksha Convention Centre & laid a foundation of 284 projects in Varanasi.
5. He also laid a foundation stone of Raja Mahendra Singh State University at a site of 92 acres in Aligarh Dist.
Raja Mahendra Singh was a Jat freedom fighter who was the first leader to establish a govt in exile This step is to appease Jat community. With a catchy slogan of “ Sabka Sath Sabha Vikas” I.E. Development Of All with Participation of All” and with Amit Shah at the helm of a new Ministry of Cooperation, the Mahant of Gorakhnath Math, may be re-elected as CM of UP unless the opposition unites with a witty strategy.
