Yogi's Kanwar Yatra order driven by hopes to get mileage before UP Assembly bypolls, say analysts

According to political analysts, Adityanath, through this 'controversial' decision, has sought to give the message to his party's core vote bank and his own supporters that he will not allow any 'dilution' of his 'hardcore Hindutva agenda'.

Lucknow: Facing attacks from within his own party following BJP's dismal performance in the state in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, the decision by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, known for his ''hardcore Hindutva'' stance, to mandate the display of the owners' names of eateries along the 'Kanwar Yatra' routes in some UP districts appears to be driven by hopes to gain mileage in the upcoming by-polls in 10 seats in the state.

According to political analysts here, Adityanath, through this 'controversial' decision, has sought to give the message to his party's core vote bank and his own supporters that he will not allow any "dilution" of his ''hardcore Hindutva agenda''.

Interestingly, it was Adityanath, who, after assuming charge of UP in the 2017 assembly polls, ordered the showering of flower petals from choppers on the 'kanwarias' during their journey.

The political analysts here opine that the BJP's central leadership will find it extremely difficult, despite opposition from some of its alliance partners, to direct Adityanath to roll back the decision.

''Adityanath has sought to give a clear message to his detractors within the party as well as the opposition through this decision that he is undeterred by the attacks and that he will continue on the path of hardcore Hindutva agenda notwithstanding the LS polls results,'' said a Lucknow based analyst while speaking to DH here.

He also said that the decision had helped distract attention of the people from the ''internal strife'' of the state BJP. ''Now we have different headlines,'' he remarked.

A senior state BJP leader also supported the view and said that division in the Hindu votes was behind the saffron party's dismal performance in the LS polls. ''This decision sends a clear message... Hindutva is our core issue,'' he added.

The leader also said that the decision could help "polarise" the voters in the upcoming assembly by-polls in 10 seats across the state. BJP had won 3 seats last time while its alliance partners RLD and Nishad Party had won 1 seat each. The other 5 were won by the Samajwadi Party.

BJP sources said that a polarisation, if it took place, could help the party in Kundarki, Mirapur and Ghaziabad. The 10 seats where the bypolls will be held include Milkipur, Karhal, Mirapur, Kundarki, Ghaziabad, Khair, Phulpur, Katehari, Majhwan and Shishamau. Of these, 9 seats fell vacant after resignations from MLAs after they became members of the Lok Sabha. One seat fell vacant after SP MLA Irfan Solanki was convicted in a case by a court and was subsequently disqualified.

The saffron party has deployed 3 ministers in 8 of the 10 seats going to the bypolls. These ministers were asked to conduct campaigns in their allotted assembly constituencies and coordinate with the local party leaders and workers to ensure victory. BJP has set its eyes on Milkipur, which is a part of the Faizabad Lok Sabha seat and is close to Ayodhya. SP candidate Awadhesh Prasad defeated BJP nominee Lallu Singh to win the Faizabad seat in this year's LS elections.