New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has set an ambitious target of winning 75 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Uttar Pradesh, a state that holds 80 Lok Sabha seats. In the 2019 general elections, the BJP lost 10 seats compared to its tally in 2014, failing to secure any seats in the Moradabad division.
The party is determined to expand its presence in the Moradabad region, which has a significant Muslim and Jat population. To achieve this, the BJP is attempting to unite these two communities.
On December 23, Yogi Adityanath, the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, will travel to Moradabad to dedicate a 51-foot statue honoring Chaudhary Charan Singh, a legendary figure who the Jat community holds in high regard. State BJP President Bhupendra Chaudhary, also from the Jat community, will accompany the Chief Minister, and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Jayant Chaudhary has been invited to the event. If Jayant Chaudhary attends, it would be the first time he and Yogi Adityanath share a stage.
The BJP is also making efforts to woo Muslim voters in the region, a challenging task given the party’s previous struggles to secure their support. The party’s minority front is actively engaging with Muslim beneficiaries of the Modi government’s schemes.
Furthermore, the BJP has deployed allies like Apna Dal, the Nishad Party, and Om Prakash Rajbhar to reach out to Muslims. As part of this strategy, the BJP conceded the Suar Tanda assembly seat in Rampur to Apna Dal, which subsequently won the election.
The BJP’s goal is to capitalise on the changing political landscape in the region, considering the recent electoral setbacks faced by prominent leaders like Azam Khan. The party believes that these developments could pave the way for its success in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.