The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) appears to have sounded the poll bugle in Uttar Pradesh with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to his parliamentary constituency Varanasi on Thursday to unveil a series of development projects.
In his speech in Varanasi, PM Modi showered praise on Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, especially for his "efficiently handling" of the second wave of COVID-19.
Senior state BJP leaders said that the PM's remarks have sent a signal to the detractors of the CM and also the dissidents who complained about the handling of COVID-19 situation in the state.
Meanwhile, BJP chief JP Nadda will hold a meeting of UP BJP working committee members a day after the Prime Minister's visit to the state. The meeting on Friday is part of BJP's preparations for Assembly polls in the crucial state slated early next year.
A tweet in Hindi by the Office of JP Nadda said: "BJP National President JP Nadda ji will address the Uttar Pradesh BJP 'State Working Committee' meeting through video conferencing, on 16 July 2021 at 11:30 am."
The meeting being held by Nadda will be attended by Yogi Adityanath, both deputy CMs Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma along with state president and office bearers through video conference.
According to reports, a discussion on the expansion of Yogi Adityanath's Cabinet is likely to take place in the working committee meeting on Friday. Besides, the working committee will also discuss the party's strategy for the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election, the reports added. Moreover, some organisational changes may also take place after the meeting.
The Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections are scheduled to be held next year. In 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, out of a total of 403 Assembly seats, BJP had won 325 seats, Samajwadi Party and its allies won 54 seats, BSP won 19 seats and others won 5 seats respectively.
