Uttar Pradesh: Intra-party strife hits BJP, but Yogi is sitting pretty

The BJP's poor performance in Uttar Pradesh in the Lok Sabha elections seems to have brought the intra-party fissures out in the open.

Adding to its woes, National Democratic Alliance (NDA) allies are also voicing concerns, saying they're not receiving adequate support from the state BJP.

Expectedly, a blame game has emerged, with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in the eye of the storm. With no signs of a peace deal, senior party leaders believe immediate steps must be taken by both the Central and state leadership to end the crisis.

“The question is simple. Who is responsible for the party's below-par performance in Uttar Pradesh? While some leaders believe since the Lok Sabha election was about government formation in New Delhi, the central leadership of the BJP should take responsibility. At the same time, central leaders believe the poll outcome is the result of poor work by the state government, with BJP’s state unit failing to motivate workers,” a senior BJP leader based in Lucknow told The Federal.

Though Yogi's clout has taken a hit, the party leadership still thinks he is the best bet in the state.

Maurya's comments fuel speculation

Recent statements by Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya have made it clear that there is no unity in the Uttar Pradesh cabinet and leaders are blaming each other for the Lok Sabha debacle.

“There is nothing wrong with anyone having ambition because it can also work as motivation. But the problem for the BJP is that the infighting in the Uttar Pradesh cabinet is making the situation worse for the party. The differences between leaders created a perception that the state government is unstable,” the BJP leader added.

"Clearly annoyed, the central leadership believes Keshav Prasad Maurya's statements will only fuel the situation rather than control it. The argument against Maurya is that he lost his seat in the 2022 Assembly elections," said the leader.

Allies also upset

Not just BJP, partners of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) have complained that the BJP is not hearing them.

Taking the lead are Sanjay Nishad, chief of NISHAD party, and Om Prakash Rajbhar, president of Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), who have blamed the state unit for lack of support. The two NDA partners have also complained about the functioning of the state government and its top leadership.

Besides, Union minister Anupriya Patel, chief of Apna Dal (Soneylal) recently wrote a letter to Yogi Adityanath alleging that the state government had not been filling seats meant for Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Scheduled Caste (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (ST).

“Our leader wrote the letter to the Chief Minister because we were getting complaints from OBC and SC leaders. With anger rising among community members, especially youth, it was our duty to take it up with the CM and also inform the Prime Minister about it,” Dr Sunil Patel, senior leader of Apna Dal (Soneylal) told The Federal.

NDA partners fear not just OBCs, SC/STs are slowly shifting away from BJP, which could have serious political repercussions.

Bypolls crucial for Yogi

The political situation is such that the upcoming Assembly bypolls in 10 constituencies will be a virtual referendum on CM Yogi Adityanath's leadership.

While the results of 10 seats will not impact the government's functioning, another poor show will be seen as a direct comment on Yogi Adityanath's tenure. Of the 10 seats going for bypolls, five were won by the Samajwadi Party (SP) in 2022 state polls, while BJP won three, and NDA partners two.

“There is unnecessary tussle going on in BJP. The situation has reached a point where even bypolls have become a matter of prestige. While the state government has tried to evade any blame by talking about Lok Sabha elections, the result of bypolls will be seen as referendum on Yogi Adityanath and his government,” said the BJP leader.

'No one can replace Yogi'

Political analysts believe the infighting will only harm the party, and no other leader in the BJP’s Uttar Pradesh unit or within the NDA in the state can challenge "the goodwill enjoyed by Yogi Adityanath".

“The problem within BJP is that it is not introspecting or talking about collective leadership. Blaming one person for election outcome is unfair because election results depend on many factors. No BJP or NDA leader in Uttar Pradesh can match the popularity of Yogi Adityanath so talking about a change in leadership will only work against the BJP in the state,” Dr SK Dwivedi, former political science professor at Lucknow University, told The Federal.