In the electoral point of view, the promise of job is enough, appointment letters were to be distributed in Lucknow. When the opportunity is special, throwing political leaves is the real religion of politics. And religion also, which could not even be directly connected to politics – Amit Shah, while sensing the opportunity, started his move, and his influence has also started appearing.
Assembly elections in UP are going to be held in 2027. Meaning, not only Bihar but also after much of Bengal. The preparation of the BJP starts long ago. In such a situation, in view of the atmosphere, where Amit Shah missed, there was such a trick from the stage that all -round discussions started. Whether the party, the government and what opposition, the message should reach all together. The message you want to give, and some extra.
Amit Shah was the biggest leader on the stage in Lucknow program, so he was sitting in the middle. Amit Shah had Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on one side, and Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya on one side. The program lasted for about an hour, and during this time Amit Shah was seen talking to both the leaders. But this is common, not special. There is no interaction, this happens only when someone wants to teach a lesson to someone. Ignoring someone is also effective only when every eye is restless – special thing is, Yogi Adityanath as well as Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya to be given full attention in Amit Shah’s address. Rather, a little extra.
Union Minister Amit Shah started his speech, ‘Today … In the historic program of Uttar Pradesh Police, the popular and successful Chief Minister of UP, Mr. Yogi Adityanath ji … My friend and Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Shree Keshav Prasad Maurya ji is present on stage …’
And since then, not only Lucknow, not only Lucknow, Amit Shah’s address is going on till the whole UP and Delhi – everyone is understanding in his own way, and is also understood – why did Amit Shah address Keshav Maurya as ‘my friend’? At the moment, this is the biggest question, and there is a need to understand.
Is this message for a yogi?
But why should Yogi Adityanath have to give a message? Yogi Adityanath has equalized every defeat. Like in 2017, he has shown in 2024 as well. In lieu of the defeat of Ayodhya, Milkipur has been put in BJP’s bag, the bonus found in UP by -elections is extra. The Gorakhpur and Phulpur by -elections of 2017 were taken revenge in 2019.
When the case of low seats found in UP in the Lok Sabha elections, there were efforts to put all the blame on Yogi Adityanath. These were Keshav Prasad Maurya who was running a campaign from Lucknow to Delhi. BJP President JP Nadda also used to be in those meetings. And in a similar meeting, Yogi Adityanath repeated that the BJP lagged behind the Samajwadi Party in the elections due to its extreme confidence. Yogi Adityanath believed the same about the 2017 by -elections.
Now Yogi’s next target is 2027. In 2022, Yogi has already shown his jauhar. By speaking public on the injury of Danke, they have cooled all those who were raising questions. Those who questioned the 2024 Lok Sabha election results were also silenced after a few days.
In the same address, Amit Shah has also expressed the importance of Yogi Adityanath, and has also understood everyone. Amit Shah has praised Yogi almost the same after the Lok Sabha elections, just as Prime Minister Narendra Modi did after Kovid. If seen, both times the BJP was going through a period of crisis – first met Modi, now Amit Shah has also given his message.
Is this message for Maurya itself?
Of course, Keshav Prasad is also for Maurya, and also for his supporters. The heat should be calm, but the enthusiasm should not be cold. Amit Shah has tried to explain on his behalf that Yogi is very important, but Maurya is not non-real. Balance is necessary. If not right, then there should not be too much up and down.
When the BJP returned to power in the 2017 elections, the command was in the hands of Keshav Prasad Maurya. In 2016, he was made the president of UP BJP, and was also at the forefront of the claimants of the Chief Minister. After the Lok Sabha elections, Maurya was leading in the discussions of changing the Chief Minister. The difficulty is that the discussions are rarely able to take the form of reality.
Yogi is a poster boy of Hindutva, but a face should also be so that can compete directly with the influence of the opposition. Maurya is the big face of OBC. In UP. Like Modi in the country. The answers to all the questions raised by Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav regarding OBC are going to be more strict competition in the next assembly elections.
If Akhilesh Yadav calls BJP rule in UP a government of caste, then the answer is Keshav Maurya. In the battle of Thakur vs PDA, the effective missile of BJP is Maurya. But Maurya should also know that friendship is necessary, but everything does not happen. Only friendship is not going to work with friendship, more things are very important.
Maurya is very important for BJP in UP, but does not need comparison with Yogi – Amit Shah has a similar message for Maurya and his supporters.
Is this message for the opposition?
Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav wrote on his X handle, ‘He did not put his picture in advertisement, he said to someone else’ friend ‘!’
The rhyme may be weak, but the sarcasm is quite strong. And, Amit Shah’s message for Akhilesh Yadav is also the same. Allegations like a particular caste government are in their place, but the response and measures of caste census is also strong with the BJP.
Amit Shah has also given his message to Akhilesh Yadav. The message is that even if he wants, he cannot challenge the OBC’s X-ray like Rahul Gandhi in UP. And yes, Akhilesh Yadav’s fight is not only with Yogi Adityanath, Maurya will have to face the same way. Akhilesh Yadav will have to think twice before offering the post of Chief Minister when Maurya comes with the MLAs from further – this is a direct message from Amit Shah.
An important question, has Amit Shah increased the stature of Keshav Prasad Maurya in the politics of UP by saying ‘my friend’? Whether it has increased or not, but has stopped decreasing. The real answer will be found when Keshav Maurya is again given the command of BJP. And, this is only Keshav Maurya – the organization is bigger than the government.