Worries mount for Uttar Pradesh BJP as govt vs organisation tussle spills on to streets

Public spat between Minister Swatantra Dev Singh and BJP MLA Brijbhushan Rajput brings to fore again fault lines within the party and the government

Lucknow: Notwithstanding the "all’s well" claims, the tussle between the government and the party organisation has spilled on to the streets in Uttar Pradesh, adding to the woes of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the Assembly elections due next year.

A public spat between UP Minister Swatantra Dev Singh and BJP lawmaker Brijbhushan Rajput, during the former’s visit to Mahoba district, over false claims of implementation of development schemes a few days back brought to the fore the fault lines within the party and the government.

Brijbhushan forced the Minister’s cavalcade to stop and publicly accused him of neglecting the district as well as making false claims that development schemes, especially those pertaining to supply of potable water, had been successfully implemented.

While the Minister and the MLA engaged in a verbal duel, their supporters clashed, prompting officials to intervene.

A few days back, UP Minister of State Pratibha Shukla accused party MP from Misrikh Ashok Rawat of corruption, alleging use of sub-standard material in the construction of a road taken up using his MPLAD fund. Rawat hit back, saying that the allegations were "politically motivated".

Shukla had earlier also embarked on a dharna against her party MP Devendra Singh Bhole, accusing him of trying to pit Brahmins against the party.

Earlier also differences between the government and the party organisation had surfaced after the BJP’s dismal performance in the State in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya had then virtually held Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath responsible for the poor show and said that government officials ignored party workers and leaders.

BJP candidate from Saharanpur Raghav Lakhanpal Sharma, who lost the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, had accused his own party’s Minister and MLA of working against him.

BJP MLA for Ghaziabad Nand Kishore Gurjar has, on several occasions, raised the issue of alleged corruption in official works. Similarly, party MLA for Kanpur Abhijit Sanga and senior BJP leader Satish Mahana came face to face over the removal of an official last year.

BJP sources said that the party leadership had taken the matter seriously and was working on a strategy to avoid such conflicts and present a united face before the people.