PM, Rajnath Singh for UP growth, hardliners for Hindutva

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Rajnath Singh intend to push “development” as the main plank for the forthcoming UP Assembly polls, the party cadre are apparently rooting for “Hindutva”. Sources said that reports pouring in from the state indicate that a large chunk of the party cadre feel that Hindutva blended with nationalism should be the main issue. The BJP’s complete focus will now be on UP as ground reports at this juncture project a grim picture, indicating that the BJP might not even touch 100 seats. The UP Assembly has 403 seats.

A debate is also raging within the party over the projection of a chief ministerial candidate. While a large section in the BJP has begun rooting for the saffron young Turk Varun Gandhi to be the face of the party, another influential section is opposing it. Those supporting Mr Gandhi’s projection are trying to “put across the message” that this will not only blunt the Congress’ attempts to “sell” party vice-president Rahul Gandhi and his sister, Priyanka Gandhi, but also counter the Samajwadi Party’s young face, UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav. Mr Gandhi reportedly met senior party leaders to discuss the UP scenario on Tuesday night.

Those favouring the hardline approach are opposing Mr Varun Gandhi’s projection because they feel he has been taking a secular and left-of-centre line. Even as the debate continues to rage over the projection of a CM candidate in the forthcoming UP polls, which will be held under the leadership of home minister Rajnath Singh, regarded as one of the “tallest leaders” in the state, the party is considering two strategies — a “defensive” or an “offensive” one. In the defensive strategy there will be no CM face for the polls and leaders from three zones — western, central and eastern — will be pressed into operation. In the offensive strategy, the party will project a CM candidate and build the campaign around him.

A section in the party claimed that in an internal survey carried out among the party cadre, Mr Varun Gandhi emerged as the most “popular” leader with 51 per cent. Both Yogi Adityanath and Smriti Irani apparently got three per cent and two per cent, respectively. They also claimed that the survey indicated that 61 per cent of the cadre would prefer Mr Gandhi as chief minister.

Dismissing the claims, Hindutva votaries in the party pitched for Yogi Adityanath and HRD minister Smriti Irani. However, an independent survey carried out in UP by ASUME Research, an association of social research professionals, indicated that 26 per cent picked BSP supremo Mayawati as the first choice, Akhilesh Yadav ranked second with 22 per cent, Mr Varun Gandhi was third with 20 per cent, and Ms Priyanka Gandhi Vadra at the bottom with 12 per cent support.

As per the survey, despite a section of the BJP pushing for Ms Irani, she got only one per cent and Yogi Adityanath five per cent. The ASUME survey indicated that Mr Gandhi topped the list in the BJP with 45 per cent. While some in the BJP feel his surname gives the party an edge, others are against “propping up another Gandhi in the party”.

Those opposing Mr Gandhi are pushing for the candidature of Ms Irani as the saffron face for the 2017 Assembly polls. It was being argued that by taking on Mr Rahul Gandhi from Amethi and nearly defeating him, Ms Irani has already established her credentials. They claimed that being a woman, she “will have an added advantage”.