BJP gears up for UP bypolls

BJP is leaving no stone unturned to woo voters in the 11 assembly seats going to bypolls in Uttar Pradesh.

The 11 assembly constituencies going to bypolls are Gangoh, Rampur, Manikpur, Jaidpur, Iglas, Lucknow cantonment, Govind Nagar, Jalalpur, Balha, Ghosi and Pratapgarh. While BJP is contesting elections on 10 assembly seats, it has left Pratapgarh seat to its ally Apna Dal (S).

BJP, in a bid to bag all the seats, is organising several public meetings, booth sammelan, conclaves for women and meetings with farmers, OBC, ST among others. Besides, UP state chief Swatantra Dev and state ministers are also attending party's programmes in different districts.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has also been visiting the poll-bound constituencies and launching different development programmes. He is expected to address election rallies in the state.

"Yogi ji will be visiting Kanpur's Govindnagar, Manikpur in Chitrakoot, Lucknow Cantonment, and Pratapgarh Sadar constituency on October 15," said J.P.S. Rathore, BJP state Vice President.

The Chief Minister is expected to visit Zaidpur in Barabanki, Ambedkar Nagar's Jalalpur, Bahraich's Balha, Ghosi in Mau district on October 16. On October 18, he will be holding public meetings in Gangoh, Rampur and Aligarh's Iglas constituency.

"The bypolls are very important for the party, keeping in mind the next Assembly polls in 2022. The collaboration between the party and the government may prove beneficial," said a senior party leader on the condition of anonymity.

"Hamirpur result was an eye opener. The vote percentage and the margin of victory has reduced. The result has kept BJP on its toes," he added. He said that the Chief Minister's reputation is on stake.

"Deputy CM Keshav Maurya is busy in campaigning in Maharashtra. The challenge is to win the constituencies, where BSP and SP emerged victorious (in 2017)," the party leader noted.

In 2017, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Samajwadi Party (SP) managed to win two seats -- Jalalpur and Rampur, respectively.