Daijiworld Media Network - Lucknow
Lucknow, Oct 31: BJP national general secretary and Uttar Pradesh in-charge Vinod Tawde has reiterated that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will be the party's face in the 2027 Assembly elections, while setting a target of winning 312 seats in the state.
Speaking at the BJP's state executive committee meeting in Lucknow on Friday, Tawde referred to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's praise for Adityanath and said, "Today, Home Minister Amit Shah repeatedly praised Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Those who are wise will understand the indication."
Recalling the BJP's victory in the 2017 Assembly elections, when it won 312 seats, Tawde urged party workers to aim for a similar performance in 2027. He also said the party would avoid repeating the slogan 'Abki Baar 400 Paar' in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election.
Tawde assured workers that he would continue meeting them, listening to their concerns and finding solutions to their problems. He said his responsibility as the party's state in-charge was not limited to the election campaign and that he would remain associated with Uttar Pradesh for the next three years.
Addressing reports of discontent among upper-caste voters over the University Grants Commission (UGC) issue, Tawde said the party would reach out to voters through direct interactions and explain its position.
He stressed the need to communicate the consequences of a change in government, telling workers that they should remind people of the situation in the state before 2017.
Tawde also highlighted the importance of addressing dissatisfaction within the party organisation. He said workers often described everything as satisfactory but added a 'but', which indicated unresolved concerns. He urged party leaders to focus on addressing these gaps rather than simply projecting a positive picture.
Referring to the government's action against organised crime, Tawde cited the cases involving gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari and gangster Atiq Ahmad. He said the government had pursued Ansari's transfer from a Punjab prison to Uttar Pradesh through the Supreme Court and added that houses for poor families were being constructed on land seized from mafias.
On ticket aspirations among party workers, Tawde said there was nothing wrong with wanting to contest elections, but pointed out that Uttar Pradesh had only 403 Assembly seats. He urged those who did not receive tickets to remain committed to the party and not work against its candidates.
He also warned that tickets would not be distributed on the basis of personal connections, flattery or money, insisting that candidates would be selected solely on the basis of their work.
Tawde said he would honour commitments made to workers who fulfilled their responsibilities and asked party members to seek feedback from workers in Bihar, Maharashtra and Haryana about his approach.
Tawde acknowledged that the BJP's social media presence had weakened compared with previous years and urged party workers to become more active online.
He recalled that the BJP had been ahead of other parties on social media in 2014 but said the Opposition had since recognised its influence. Referring to Bihar, he pointed to Tejashwi Yadav's social media following compared with that of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
Tawde also criticised party workers for failing to like or repost social media messages shared by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Adityanath. He said workers should actively promote the government's schemes and communicate how they were affecting people's lives.
The meeting was part of the BJP's preparations for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, with discussions focusing on organisational mobilisation, voter outreach and the party's campaign priorities.