Discontent was palpable during the Uttar Pradesh BJP Executive Committee meeting held in Lucknow on Sunday, where differing views between Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya came to the fore. The meeting aimed to address the party’s disappointing performance in the recent Lok Sabha elections.
Yogi Adityanath did not mince words, attributing the BJP’s underwhelming results to ‘overconfidence.’ He pointed out that although the party maintained its previous vote share, a shift in votes and complacency hampered their success. “The percentage of votes that BJP had in its favor in 2014 and subsequent elections, BJP has been successful in getting the same number of votes in 2024 as well, but shifting of votes and overconfidence have hurt our hopes,” Adityanath stated. He noted that while the BJP secured 33 seats in Uttar Pradesh, this was a significant drop from the 62 seats won in 2019.
In stark contrast, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya emphasized the supremacy of the party over the government, urging members to prioritize the organization. Addressing party workers, Maurya said, “Your pain is my pain too. The organization is greater than the government, and all ministers, MLAs, and public representatives should respect workers and take care of their dignity.” Maurya criticized the opposition parties, SP and Congress, for their deceitful tactics but expressed confidence that the BJP would regain its stronghold in the 2027 state elections, aiming for over 300 seats.
Maurya’s remarks received the most applause, reflecting his alignment with the workers’ sentiments. However, Adityanath’s stance highlighted a growing divide within the party leadership. While Maurya and other senior leaders addressed workers’ grievances, Adityanath challenged them to counter the opposition’s negativity more effectively. “While good morning messages can be sent on smartphones, why wasn’t the Opposition’s spread of lies countered?” he questioned.
Despite the leaders’ speeches, the political proposal presented at the meeting did not address the widespread discontent among party workers. Issues with bureaucracy and difficulties faced by workers in getting tasks done at local offices were notably absent from the discussion. During the elections, many workers remained inactive, frustrated by their inability to serve the public effectively, but these concerns were not acknowledged at the meeting.
Amid this internal discord, former Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi took a jab at the BJP, suggesting that Uttar Pradesh now has three Chief Ministers. “UP BJP’s review meeting was hilarious! Infighting came to the surface and a public catfight in the meeting. UP now has three CMs – two of them desperate to remove ‘Deputy’ from their designations,” Singhvi commented, further fueling speculation of a leadership struggle. The UP BJP’s leadership faces a critical juncture, with internal disagreements threatening to undermine their efforts to reinvigorate the party cadre and regain lost ground. The divergent views of Adityanath and Maurya underscore the challenges ahead as the party navigates its path forward in the state.