Farmers Movement Archive

UP polls: Blunting public anger over Covid handling on top of BJP’s agenda

The Bharatiya Janata Party leadership’s instruction to its lawmakers from Uttar Pradesh is to find ways to mitigate possible public anger over the state government’s handling of the second wave of the Covid pandemic that could cast a shadow over next year’s assembly elections.According to people familiar with the matter, the party‘s top brass has asked the lawmakers to reach out to the masses with the message that the government took timely steps to address systemic failures that resulted in shortage of oxygen, hospital beds and essential medicines causing loss of lives.At a two-day meeting of lawmakers from the election bound state that concluded on Thursday, the message was to undo the damage to the government’s credibility by ensuring a hassle-free vaccination drive and provision of essential supplies in case of an anticipated third wave.UP CM Yogi Adityanath was also present at the meetings that were chaired by BJP president JP Nadda.“There is a lot of work that has been accomplished in the state vis-a-vis development, crackdown on criminals, making arrangements to invite investors to the state but the second wave made a dent in the government’s track record. No state including UP was prepared for the scale of the pandemic and the challenges it brought with it. But since we are in power we cannot escape public anger,” said a party functionary aware of the details who asked not to be named.The party’s instruction to lawmakers is based on feedback from the ground and from its ideological mentor the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh indicating that the Covid crisis will play a decisive role in shaping the electoral outcome.“The Prime Minister has also repeatedly urged MPs and the MLAs to monitor the vaccination drive that is being carried out and to motivate those who are hesitant to take the vaccines. He has also asked us to make sure that hospitals and other arrangements are in place in case a third wave hits us,” said a second party functionary who too spoke on condition of anonymity.The two-day meeting which was described as a “routine interaction” between the party’s leadership and the lawmakers set the stage for preparing the blueprint for the upcoming election in 2022.Apart from focusing on the pandemic and how to prepare for a third wave the lawmakers were also asked to create awareness about the social welfare schemes and the sops that the government announced during the lockdown, such as free ration and monetary aid.The lawmakers have also been instructed to cover their respective constituencies, organising programmes on a small scale to ensure that Covid protocol is not breached. They have also been asked to address the issue of the ongoing protests against three reformist farm laws the government passed last year.“There is a very small percentage of farmers in western UP who are protesting against the farm laws so a concerted effort is being made to ensure that farmers across the state a made aware of the benefits that they stand to gain. Similarly, the union Government has been taking steps for the empowerment of the socially and economically backward communities, we will create awareness about these issues as well,” said the first functionary.In the run up to the election, the party will also be begun preparing a schedule for senior leaders to tour the state.

Hindustan Times

31-07-2021

India