Poll results will be key. They will show the mood of urban UP before the 2024 general elections.
NEW DELHI: The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has entered into preparation mode for the upcoming municipal corporation election in Lucknow. According to various reports, the civic election for Uttar Pradesh’s capital could take place in the last days of November. These elections are also seen as crucial because the mandate in this election will show the mood of urban UP before the 2024 general elections.
In 2017, the 110 seats municipal corporation was won by the BJP. The Sunday Guardian talked to senior BJP functionaries in Lucknow to know with what issues the party will go to the public and how the party is preparing for the urban polls. “We are always in an election mood and this year again, we will clinch the seat of Mayor,” said Shrikrishan Lodhi, District president of Lucknow BJP.
BJP is planning to reach every household via “Har Ghar Abhiyan” and the main focus will be on communicating the benefits of schemes launched by central and state governments. “Our government is working on the path of Antyodaya, shown by Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay and Syama Prasad Mukerjee,” Lodhi said.
The party’s cadre on the ground has been active and from the booth level to the upper leadership of the party have started brainstorming to chalk out plans for the elections. “We have a team of 21 people on every single booth and above them, we have a booth in-charge. Above the booth in-charge, we have a convener,” said the BJP leader. “All of these people are assisted by Panna Parmukh, we have a single Panna Parmukh on every 60 votes,” the leader added.
In the 2017 Municipal corporation elections, BJP won 58 seats, Samajwadi Party got 28 seats and Congress won 8 seats. BSP, which was once the dominant force in UP politics, won only 2 seats and the rest 14 seats were won by independent candidates. The magic number for the majority in the House is 56. “This year, we will win around 80-85 wards,” Lodhi claimed.
With the majority mark in hand, BJP gave the Mayor post to Sanyukta Bhatia and with this, she became the first women mayor of LMC. “We have a double-engine government and we have worked on the basic issues of people. We will surely win this election and will make a new record,” said Mukesh Sharma, President of BJP Lucknow Metropolitan.
Another big issue that the BJP is going to take to the public is crime. According to the party leadership, decline in crime against women and the poor have instilled trust in the public and this trust will convert into votes.