RSS steps in to resolve UP BJP crisis

Keshav Prasad Maurya had, launched a veiled attack on Adityanath alleging that the ordinary party workers were not being accorded due respect in the government.

Lucknow: As the differences between Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and his deputy and senior party leader Keshav Prasad Maurya threatened to snowball into a major crisis ahead of the upcoming by-polls on ten assembly seats in the state, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has embarked upon an exercise to rein in the warring leaders.

According to the sources, a senior RSS functionary from eastern UP region met Maurya a couple of days back and discussed the issues the latter had raised during the recent state BJP executive committee meeting. 

Sources said that the RSS functionary assured Maurya that the issues raised by him would be taken up at the highest level and urged him not to air his grievances on public forums. A Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader also met senior state BJP leaders to resolve the crisis. 

Maurya had, while speaking at the meeting, launched a veiled attack on Adityanath alleging that the ordinary party workers were not being accorded due respect in the government and that neglect of the party organisation was one of the major reasons behind the saffron party's dismal performance in the state in the Lok Sabha elections.

A few days later, Maurya fired yet another salvo at Adityanath over reservation in contractual appointments made in different departments by the state government and sought to know if the provisions of reservations for the SC, ST and OBC were followed in making contractual appointments in different government departments and undertakings in accordance with the GO (government order) issued in this regard. 

Maurya's meetings with Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) president and UP minister Om Prakash Rajbhar and Nishad Party (NP) president and minister Sanjay Nishad also set the tongues wagging in the political circles here. Both were alliance partners of the BJP and the meetings were being perceived here as a show of strength by Maurya.

BJP sources here said that Adityanath had asked the ministers, who were in-charge of different districts, to hold meetings with the local party workers and address their concerns.

Sources said that Adityanath, who would be in Delhi to take part in the Niti Ayog governing council meeting on Friday, could meet prime minister Narendra Modi and senior leadership of the party.

Maurya, state BJP president Bhupendra Choudhary and some other senior state BJP leaders were also likely to meet the BJP central leadership around the same time. 

''There will be changes in the party organisation....the central leadership has asked the state leaders to shun their differences and work together to ensure an improved performance in the upcoming assembly by-polls,'' said a senior state BJP leader here.