Yogi Adityanath relies heavily on '80:20' formula; Akhilesh to visit Ram Mandir for first time

NEW DELHI: With news reaching that the assembly elections might be in February or March next year, the BJP and the Samajwadi Party ramped up political offensive against each other. The state has a total of 403 Assembly seats. BJP prepared an initial list of 209 candidates and submitted it to the national leadership for approval. The party hopes that by having candidates begin their work in their respective constituencies early, they will gain an edge in the election campaign.

Meanwhile, the Samajwadi Party (SP) is also gearing up for action. On December 12, party president Akhilesh Yadav, accompanied by his family, will visit the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. This will be his first visit to the temple since its opening in January 2024.

The move is aimed at countering the BJP’s narrative that the Samajwadi Party is "anti-Hindu." Furthermore, Akhilesh has publicly challenged Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to contest the election from Ayodhya, if he dares. In response, Yogi Adityanath pointed to the 1990 incident where the then-Mulayam Singh Yadav government ordered police to open fire on 'kar sevaks' (volunteers). Yogi demanded that Akhilesh first apologise for the events that took place during his father's tenure, adding that no "Maricha" or "Manthara" (mythological figures associated with deceit and obstruction) would be allowed to cast an evil eye on the Ram Mandir.

SHAH FACTOR:

There is strong speculation that Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Yogi Adityanath are not on good terms. However, reports indicate that the party's internal survey identified securing a third consecutive victory as a significant challenge; consequently, it is understood that the two leaders reached a reconciliation. Amid putting his focus on the Punjab elections, Shah will also serve as a key strategist for the party in Uttar Pradesh.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, BJP managed to win only 33 out of the 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh—a situation that led to the national and state leadership trading blame. This time, the target is to secure over 350 seats. An '80:20 formula' is also being proposed: Yogi claims that the BJP and its allies will capture 80 per cent of the vote, leaving only 20 per cent for the opposition. Additionally, a new initiative targeting female voters may also be announced.