BJP: ‘Journey for change’ to pick CM face for UP
LUCKNOW : With an eye on the 2017 Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, BJP has planned to launch four ‘Parivartan Yatras’ or “Journey for change” next month from Saharanpur, Lalitpur, Sonebhadra and Ballia.
BJP president Amit Shah will flag-off the yatras, during which party’s senior national and state leaders will remain present, a senior party leader said, adding the yatra will culminate with a ‘Parivartan Sabha’ in Lucknow on December 24.
“‘Parivartan Yatras’ which will begin from November 5, will culminate with a ‘Parivartan Sabha’ in Lucknow on the eve of 92nd birthday of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on December 24,” state BJP president Keshav Prasad Maurya said.
First yatra will start from Saharanpur on November 5, second from Lalitpur on November 6, third from Sonebhadra on November 8 and fourth from Ballia on November 9, Maurya said, adding BJP national president Amit Shah, senior national and state ministers will remain present at the start of all the yatras.
PM Narendra Modi, who was recently in Lucknow, is expected to address Parivartan Yatra on its last day.The BJP’s mega rally across Uttar Pradesh is expected to help generate feedback about a Chief Ministerial candidate, a decision the party is yet to take, said sources.
While the decision on whom to field for the top job will be taken by the party’s parliamentary board, the Parivartan Yatra will possibly help the party take a final decision.The yatra is expected to cover all 403 assembly constituencies of India’s largest state.
The surgical strikes across the Line of Control will be one of the key issues that will be highlighted during the yatra, said a senior party leader. “How can the BJP not talk about the valour of the army, which was ordered by the NDA government?”
Despite PM Modi’s caution against “chest-thumping”, the strikes have already been highlighted by the party state unit during his visit to Lucknow during Dusshera. The rally ground was lined with posters that read “Lucknow welcomes the avengers of Uri”.
The other key agenda of the rallies will be to take feedback on the policies initiated by the Narendra Modi government – Jan Dhan scheme, farm insurance, power for all, LPG for BPL among others.
Besides, the party will soon organise a meeting of backward caste community members in two Vidhan Sabha constituencies.BJP has also decided to hold a youth and woman conference all over the state in which workers upto the booth level will participate.
