BJP launches 'Gram Swaraj Abhiyaan' in UP

Observing 125th birth anniversary of B R Ambedkar, BJP today launched 'Gram Swaraj Abhiyaan', an outreach campaign covering 52,000 village panchayats, ahead of 2017 assembly election.
"The party observes Ambedkar's anniversary as 'Samrasta Diwas' every year and with this it has launched a massive outreach campaign covering 52,000 village panchayats from today," BJP spokesman Vijay Bahadur Pathak said.
The Gram Swaraj Abhiyan campaign would continue till April 24, the day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech will be broadcast live in all 52,000 gram panchayats," he said.
BJP has already sent a message by appointing OBC leader Keshav Prasad Maurya as the state unit president.

Maurya today unveiled a statue of Ambedkar at Jhusi in Allahabad district and has started an extensive tour of the state.
During the campaign, achievements of Modi government would be highlighted along with the salient features of the Union budget. 'Samrasta' programme would be held upto April 16.

Pathak said a list of senior functionaries would be drawn to ensure that they visit at least 10 gram panchayats each.
Ahead of the campaign, the party plans to hold district-level meetings. During April 17-24, gram sabhas would be organised by district president and party incharges.
Special emphasis would be on gram panchayats where the party has not performed well in last Assembly elections, Pathak said.

After steering the party to a big win, 47-year-old Maurya
has grown in stature. He is being credited with rallying the non-Yadav OBC voters behind the party.
When asked whether he was a contender for chief minister's post, Maurya said," Speaking on this is beyond my jurisdiction."
On whether the CM should be chosen from among the newly elected MLAs or even a sitting MP could be appointed, he said," The decision will be taken by the BJP's Parliamentary Board."
Maurya, on being asked if the party's government will pursue construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, he said," All promises made in Lok Kalyan Sankalp Patra (party's manifesto) will be fulfilled."

Though firebrand five-term Lok Sabha member Yogi Adityanath (44) is the choice of the more vocal among the party workers, the seasoned ones believe that his brand of politics might not be beneficial for the party in the long run. Also, his hard line 'Hindutva' may not help in carrying along all sections.
The name of amiable Lucknow mayor and party's national vice-president Dinesh Sharma (53) is also being discussed. He is a Brahmin.
BJP's national spokesman Srikant Sharma, an MLA from Mathura who is considered close to party president Amit Shah, is also being mentioned in certain quarters, but many feel the 46-year-old lacks experience.

Some in the BJP say the leader of its legislature party in the outgoing assembly Suresh Khanna (63) might emerge as the dark horse. Khanna, an upper caste Khatri, is an eight- time MLA. With RSS background, Khanna has a down to earth image and is a dedicated partyman.
Siddharth Nath Singh (53), the grandson of Lal Bahadur Shastri, who has won the prestigious Allahabad West seat is also being seen as a contender. He is a national secretary of the party and one of its spokespersons.