When Uttar Pradesh surprised everyone by giving a thumping majority to BJP there were many questions surfacing in the air and finally when the democracy dust settled the most pertinent question, everyone was talking about was Who will be the CM candidate ?
Learning it’s lesson from Delhi debacle the safforon party went into election without any CM candidate and PM face was used to connect with voters like never before. Unknown of what’s going in head of Modi and Shah every regional leader put in it’s best and result was visible on every TV screen on 11th March when EVM draper were unveiled. With more than 300 seats in it’s kitty it was like a cakewalk for party leadership to choose any CM candidate. There were couples of name doing the round and every so called intellectual was coming up with his/her own guesses flavoured with myths of their own choice. But announcement of Yogi’s name spinned all these creatures by 360 degree and left them in a state of permanent diziness. Since then everyone is coming with their own facts and figure to come up with reasons behind Yogi’s name.
Very First reason being doled out is that BJP want to consolidate Hindutava agenda before 2019 Lok Sabha(LS) election. This argument is nothing short of fantasy imiganization by a section of people who has become jobless post 11 March. Otherwise how can a sane person even think that a political party will get down from smoothly sailing ship and will ride against a hurricane? Here is a party which won around 81% of assembly election seats on the plank of development and good governance and people have believed on them and have converted their belief in votes. Only an insane person will try to go away from this winning plank and Modi and Shah are not definately in that leauge.
In addition to above some people are giving arguments like BJP wants to settle scores with minority of the state by appointing a harliner as CM. This argument also doesn’t hold water because Shah and specially Modi is very well aware of the fact that most of middle class which has voted in large number in 2014 and again in 2017 will not take time to switch side if there is any deviation from development agenda as it impact them directly.
So then why BJP has to go Yogi way when there were many options available to them, below points summerise few of the reasons:
2019 Battle : UP holds a very important portfolio from 2019 perspective as it is important for BJP to perform well if Modi wants to bats for 2nd inning. With only 104 weeks to go for LS election and BJP government in both centre and state, people of UP are running on very high expectations as they have shown trust in BJP 2 times in a row. Expecting same level of trust from them for 3rd consecutive term will need lot of ground work especially when many of Centre flagship schemes like UDAY and UJALA has not been taken up on war front by lethargic state beaurocrarcy. UP is the only state in the country which has not signed the UDAY memorondum with centre which envisige to reform state electricity discom companies and aim to move toward 24*7 for all. In this backdrop, a very decisive and strict leader is required which can move the state elephant size beaurocracy with a carrot or a stick.
UP is the main battlefield for many of Modi promises.Nmami Gange is one such program bearing a direct stamp from Modi as it is directly in line with his spiritual credentials. UP has to play a important role in that as major stretch of river pass through UP and it has many polluting strech. Till now not much work has been done on ground and a quick turnaround on same will be required to have a substantial ground impact before nation go to General election. So a leader who knowns the state dynamics well and is spritually and religiously attached to the cause can push himself to walk extra mile to get things done and in this regard there can’t be any better bet than Yogi.
Law and Order : This is another promise where newly elected govt need to deliver fast. Enforcing police force to follow law of land without seeing people’s name and surname will be a tough excersise. State police has been used for political patronage by the successive governments. Turning away that mentality quickly will be tough task and need an energetic and decisive administator who can bring people confidence back on police credentials.Recent decision taken by Yogi administration in terms of law and order maintenance is merely a trailer of what is offing in future.
Corruption and Nepotism: UP has been notorious in these two aspects. Many instances has been reported in past where only people from certain section of society were given preference overlooking merit. This has not only negatively impacted the impartial credential of the state but have also impacted the efficiency of the state bureaucracy. Yogi has been 5 times MP from Gorakhpur and don’t have even a single case of corruption allegation against him. He is a sanyasi , come from BJP bachelor club and has been in public life from more than 1 decade. All these credentials make him a suitable candidate to take on corruption industry of the state and bring it out of ventilator.
It’s certainly not a cakewalk for him , considering his controversial character and speeches there is lot that he need to reinvent. In addition to various problems within government machinery he also has to fight agains the liberal rant which is currently in full swing. By his work he has to prove many heads wrong as they have been in habit of judging the book by it’s cover and have used the same principles to declare Yogi as a not fit for CM.
People has given vote on Modi’s face and many of them might still be in state of confusion about the newly appointed CM. In addition to providing his credentials to all these voters, Yogi has to fight an uphill battle as bringing UP in order is like moving mountains. Last but not the least , he has to also fulfil the expectations of Prime Minister as he has sent him as his mascot and he has to live to all those standards without an inch here and there.
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