BJP's UP campaign decoded: Party to put special focus on caste-based campaigns

The political fervour in Uttar Pradesh is rising every day, as the state steps closer to the assembly polls scheduled for early next year. Among all, the incumbent Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath has also brushed all his poll manoeuvres to retain the power. BJP has planned their poll strategy on development policies aligned with a special focus on caste politics.

For 2022 polls, the BJP has adopted a strategy to woo OBCs, SCs and minority voters in the state, with their multi-pronged strategy. The saffron party will hold rallies targeted at specific castes and has also formulated a strategy to reach out to voters on all minority-dominated constituencies. 

The BJP poll strategists have kept the caste dynamics in mind, as the BJP's central leadership has announced Dharmendra Pradhan as the Uttar Pradesh poll in charge as Pradhan is an OBC leader. 

For OBC Voters: A three-phased campaign & 20 ‘Samajik Sammelans’

BJP’s focus in the politically pivotal state will be on OBC voters, as the party has planned to conduct a three-phase outreach programme, targeting various castes of OBCs-- Kashyap, Rajbhar, Pal, Prajapati, Jogi, Teli, Yadav, Gujjar, Saini, Chaurasia and Kurmi. These sammelans will be addressed by various senior leaders.

Explaining the BJP’s poll strategy, the party's state OBC unit head Narendra Kumar Kashyap said, “The BJP plans to hold a three-phase outreach programme among various castes of OBCs. In the first phase, the party will hold 20 'Samajik Samelans' of various sub-categories within OBCs which will be addressed by several leaders, including Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, his deputy Keshav Prasad Maurya and Union ministers Pradhan and Bhupender Yadav. These programmes will be of different castes, he said, adding that a 'sammelan' of Jaats will also be organised,” he told PTI.

For Jaat OBC Voters indulged in Farmers' Protest: An outreach programme is planned

Next up under the OBC category are the Jaats, who are mainly farmers from western UP. The western UP is the epicentre of farmers' protests and Rakesh Tikait holds a strong influence in the region, hence the BJP government has decided to win back the support of Jaat farmers, who are crucial vote bank of the saffron party. 

An outreach programme will be held, where party workers will meet prominent OBC leaders in the area and will inform them about the party’s agendas. Narendra Kashyap further informed that the party will organise 202 OBC rallies in the last phase of the campaign. He said these rallies will be targeted at every sub-caste and will be addressed mainly by the party leader from that caste.

For SC Voters: 'Ansuchit Jati Sammelans' in 75 districts

Likewise, the party's SC wing is considering hosting 'Ansuchit Jati Sammelans' (Schedule Castes Seminars) in 75 districts across the state. A particular felicitation ceremony for newly appointed BJP vice-president Baby Rani Maurya will be held across the state. Rani Maurya, who belongs to the Jatav community, is expected to run in the upcoming assembly elections.

For Muslim Votes: 21 member team to work on Muslim dominated booths

Similarly, the BJP's Minority Morcha wing wants to develop a team of workers on Muslim booths across the state to garner minority votes. "The minority morcha is putting together a 21-member team of booth workers in all Muslim-dominated booths to get 20% of Muslim votes," BJP minority cell UP unit president Kunwar Basit Ali told PTI.

The caste dynamics play a major role in Uttar Pradesh politics. Hence, all the political parties have upped their political game, putting their best to woo the voters to sway the upcoming elections. Be it Mayawati’s BSP who has run ‘Brahmin’ Sammelans or Samajwadi Party, who is trying to woo the ‘Yadavs’, all the parties have caste-based political agendas in mind. However, the BJP has been able to win three consecutive elections in Uttar Pradesh: the 2014 general elections, the 2017 state elections, and the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

With PTI Inputs
Image: ANI/ PTI