The BJP in Uttar Pradesh is emerging as the top favourite of candidates seeking a ticket for the upcoming municipal elections. The Samajwadi Party ranks second and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), after getting the status of national party, is now much in demand. The BJP, undoubtedly, is seen as the most well-prepared party for the polls. “We have all our plans laid out and the candidates have also been shortlisted. The party will soon announce the names of contestants for posts like mayors and chiefs of urban local bodies from its state headquarters. Similarly, names for member posts of urban local bodies would be announced from the party’s district offices,” said a party functionary.
The BJP has put in place a three-layered system for its ticket. Nearly all parties, mainly the BJP, are also putting together a damage control strategy in place to ensure that those who do not get tickets are pacified and are made to work for the party.
The Samajwadi Party also has many ticket seekers but the party fumbled due to delay on finalisation of OBC seats. Party sources said that last minute changes were creating confusion in party ranks. Besides, resentment is also brewing in several party units of SP over choice of candidates and resignations are trickling in.
The AAP leaders will be using their Delhi model to woo voters in the municipal elections and are confident of faring better than the 2022 Assembly polls. Since these urban municipal polls are most likely the last political exercise ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, in his meetings with ministers and senior BJP functionaries, has emphasised on ensuring coordination between the party and the government. “The attempt is to ensure that any request or proposal for any candidate or candidates should be unanimous. The merit factor would be the first criteria in deciding candidates,” said the functionary.
“In most cases, we may see newer faces as ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the party may want to give its cadre an opportunity,” a BJP leader said. The party has also decided to present before the people a “report card” of the development work done by the Yogi 2.0 government in the state. The minister in-charge for various districts have also been asked to take care of adjoining districts, party leaders added. The Samajwadi Party, on the other hand, is preparing to highlight the failures of the ruling BJP in solving basic issues related to the condition of roads, water-logging and cleanliness.
The party, however, is feeling resentment in the ranks over candidate selection and this could lead to internal sabotage. The Bahujan Samaj Party is hoping to win back the confidence of its cadres by giving them an opportunity to contest the polls. The BSP, however, has not yet laid out its poll strategy which is confusing the cadres. In any case, the BSP does not have much presence in the urban areas and several of its leaders have already left for greener pastures in the past months.
The Congress, expectedly, faces a dearth of leadership, direction and candidates. The party is waiting for directions from the high command which apparently is in no hurry to finalise candidates. The party, sources say, may end up without fielding candidates on several seats.