NEW DELHI: Keeping in mind the unabated farm protest, the BJP is learnt to have decided to focus on 320 odd seats out of 403 Assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh where its top guns will focus in the run up for the early next year’s polls.
The BJP is aiming to maximise gains from 320 seats, with a target to convert 80 per cent of them in its favour, through a strong pitch on developmental achievements and law and order issue.
The “Paschim” and some constituencies of “Braj” are seen as challenges where the BJP will bank on the multi-cornered contests and local leadership.
Eighty-three seats in these regions are dominated by Jats and Muslims, who together are being seen as hostile to the BJP.
The western UP is largely agrarian with the Jats, who are backing the farm agitation, being the influential caste.
“CM Yogi Adityanath and top echelons of the BJP leadership will put their maximum energy in the other parts of the state, which together account for 320 constituencies. The unveiling of the development projects are also being taken up in these areas in a large scale. Also, the issue of the improved law and order situation will be a key factor in these regions in the polls,” said a senior BJP functionary.
In UP, PM Narendra Modi’s programmes so far have also largely been addressed to the BJP’s “focus areas” as he unveiled a slew of infrastructure works in the region.
The BJP is counting on the PM’s developmental focus in Kashi region, which accounts for 72 seats, to help the party win as many as possible segments.
Varanasi, the heart of Kashi region, is represented in the Lok Sabha by Modi. Additionally, the BJP will count on Yogi’s appeal in Gorakhpur region, which accounts for 62 seats.
Apart from the Ayodhya Ram temple card to build on the Hindutva poll card, the party will bank on the caste equations to pull through in Awadh and Kanpur-Bundelkhand region, which account for 134 seats.
“Eighty-three seats, which are seen as challenging due to the drift of the Jat vote base and polarisation, will pose challenge. The party’s local leadership, including Jat face Sanjeev Balyan, will work on the ground to benefit from the multi-cornered contests in the region,” said the BJP functionary.
Meanwhile, farmers protested at hundreds of places all over India on Tuesday to demand the arrest and sacking of Union Minister Ajay Mishra 'Teni', whose son is an accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence in which eight people, including farmers, were killed.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) said in a statement that the farmers also completed 11 months of the "anti-agri law" protests on Tuesday.
The umbrella body of farmer unions added that protests were held in Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Bihar, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh.
"Today, responding to SKM's call, protests were organised at hundreds of places all over India, to demand the immediate arrest and sacking of Ajay Mishra Teni, the 'sutradhaar' of the Lakhimpur Kheri massacre. The protests took various forms including marches, motorcycle rallies, sit-ins etc," it said in the statement.
The SKM hailed the farmers agitating at Delhi borders for the last 11 months against the Centre's three farm laws.
"In these largest such protests anywhere in the world, farmers have been demanding that their livelihoods be protected from corporate loot in unregulated markets. Farmers have been asking for a repeal of the three anti-farmer pro-corporate laws thrust upon them undemocratically and unconstitutionally, and for a law that guarantees MSP for all farmers," it said.
It added that farmers will not go home until their demands are fulfilled.
The ''Shaheed Kisan Asthi Kalash Yatras'' held to pay homage to the victims of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence travelled through several districts across several states.
"Yesterday, such yatras went through Sitapur, Kaushambi and Aligarh districts of Uttar Pradesh. Asthi Kalash was received in Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh. Today is the last day of the yatra in Tamil Nadu, and the ashes will be immersed in the sea at Vedaranyam. The Shaheed Kalash Yatra ended in Odisha today after the ashes were immersed in Daya River, historically documented as the river that changed the heart of Emperor Ashoka," the SKM said.
In Andhra Pradesh, the yatra ended with the immersion of the ashes in the Krishna river near Vijayawada.
In Maharashtra, the yatra will begin in Pune on Wednesday from Mahatma Jyotirao Phule's house, ending with a Kisan Mazdoor Mahapanchayat in Mumbai at the Hutatma Chowk on November 18.
The yatra would reach Mumbai after travelling across 36 districts of Maharashtra.
Eight people, including four farmers, were killed in Tikonia area of Lakhimpur Kheri district on October 3 during a protest against the three farms laws.
Over 10 accused, including the son of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra, have been arrested so far in the case.
(With PTI Inputs)
BREAKUP OF SEATS
70 Paschim.
65 Braj.
52 Kanpur-Bundelkhand.
82 Awadh.
72 Kashi.
62 Gorakhpur.