BJP UP executive meet: Overconfidence hurt our expectations in polls, says Yogi
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said the party workers and candidates’ overconfidence hurt the BJP’expectations in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh.
Adityanath was addressing the BJP’s state executive meeting attended, among others, by the party’s national president and Union minister JP Nadda. This was the first major meeting of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh after the Lok Sabha polls.
Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the party achieved significant successes in Uttar Pradesh in 2014, 2017, 2019, and 2022, consistently pressuring the opposition, Adityanath said.
“In 2024, the BJP managed to get the same vote percentage as in the previous elections, but vote- shifting and overconfidence hurt our expectations. The opposition, which had previously been on ventilator, has now got some oxygen,” Adityanath said at the concluding session of the daylong meeting at Ram Manohar Lohia National Law University in Lucknow.
In the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls, the BJP won 33 seats in Uttar Pradesh, down from 62 it clinched in 2019. The Congress won six seats, while its INDIA bloc ally Samajwadi Party bagged 37 seats from U.P, which sends 80 members to the Lower House of Parliament.
Adityanath exhorted all the party members to become active immediately for the upcoming by-elections in 10 assembly constituencies and the 2027 state assembly elections.
He called upon Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs, MLAs, MLCs, district panchayat presidents, mayors, block chiefs, chairpersons and others to start preparing for the 2027 assembly elections from today only.
“We have to once again hoist the BJP flag in the state,” he said. He stressed that BJP leaders and workers must be super active on social media and counter any rumours immediately.
Enumerating his government’s achievements to the party workers he said, “Today, with your cooperation, we have succeeded in making U.P. mafia-free. Additionally, the installation of Shri Ram Lalla in his temple in Ayodhya ended a 500-year wait.”
He emphasised that BJP workers should not retreat under any circumstances because they have worked hard.
“When you were in the opposition, you fought for the people’s issues, and now in government, there is a sense of security in UP,” he said.
Adityanath further remarked that roads used to be deserted during Moharram in the past.
“Today, one doesn’t even notice that Moharram is happening. Houses used to be demolished in the name of Tazia, Peepal trees cut, and wires removed. Today, it is said that the poor’s huts and wires will not be touched. Our clear directive is to mark festivals within rules or stay home. The BJP has demonstrated governance by law and good governance across the country.”
He also highlighted how his government and BJP workers worked in unison to serve people without any discrimination during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Launching an attack on the Samajwadi Party (SP), he recalled Dr Ram Manohar Lohia’s words that as long as Ram, Krishna, and Shiva were worshipped in India, it could not be destroyed.
“But these socialists tarnished the legacy of Ram, Krishna, and Shiva. When Raju Pal and Umesh Pal were killed in Prayagraj, weren’t they from backward castes? Krishnanand Rai was killed along with Ramesh Patel and Ramesh Yadav, weren’t they from backward castes? Today, those who once read Fatiha for mafias are again in a position to challenge us.”
He alleged that the SP had always insulted Dalit thinkers and great personalities
The chief minister said that the world knew that if “our society” was scattered, it would be easily preyed upon, but if united, even the greatest powers would fall before it.
“The sin of dividing based on caste was committed in this election. We must be cautious and alert. We must maximise the use of social media platforms to counter false narratives. We must bring BJP’s views on great Scheduled Caste personalities to the forefront,” he said.
He said the BJP won all 17 mayoral seats in the 2023 municipal elections, the most municipal seats, and the most chairman and councilor seats.
“We won by-elections in Azamgarh and Rampur (in 2022). The BJP flag will fly in all the upcoming by-elections for the 10 assembly seats. We must start working for it now. This should be our resolution from today,” he said.