It’s not Varun Gandhi and it might not be Yogi Adityanath.
It’s not Varun Gandhi and it might not be Yogi Adityanath. The BJP high command, with the RSS backing it, is seriously looking at the option of projecting Union minister for human resources development Smriti Irani as the party’s face for next year’s Uttar Pradesh Assembly election. With the troika of Ms Irani, Yogi Adityanath and state unit chief Keshav Prasad Maurya, the BJP appears to want to bring back “Mandal-Kamandal” politics in the state.
The BJP apparently is hoping to script social engineering in UP with Mr Maurya, hailing from the OBC community, and Yogi Adityanath, a Thakur and firebrand exponent of Hindutva. Ms Irani, in the BJP’s scheme of things, is expected to mobilise popular support after she took on the Left student leaders in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), sources in the BJP said, adding that the HRD minister could be the right counter to the surge of BSP supremo Mayawati.
The UP battle is expected to be among well-known political faces, including BSP chief Mayawati and state chief minister Akhilesh Yadav. “The BJP in UP lacks a face that can compare with either of the two state leaders of the BSP and Samajwadi Party. Ms Irani can rise over various factions within the party and may get the support of the state leaders,” BJP sources said.
Meanwhile, Ms Irani, as part of her regular visits to UP, will be meeting members of the BJP’s information technology cell at Amethi. She may discuss the use of social media in the 2017 poll campaign, sources said, adding that Amethi could be the launch-pad for her for a larger role in state politics. Ms Irani had lost narrowly to Congress vice-president Rahil Gandhi in the last general election, but has been frequently visiting the district.
She has also made several announcements for the constituency. These include the setting up of a soil testing laboratory, a skill development centre at Amethi, a government school at Fursatgunj and a 300-bed hospital for women. A nodal officer has also been appointed at Irani’s official residence in Delhi to coordinate with the BJP team in Amethi.
She will also hold a public rally at Amethi and is expected to attack the Gandhi family and the Congress. Targeting the Gandhis’ vote bank, Ms Irani will also attend a programme on women empowerment.
