Ahead of UP polls, BJP leaders hold meeting with RSS functionaries

Bharatiya Janata Party's national general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh and Uttar Pradesh in-charge Radha Mohan Singh on Monday held meetings with the top state leaders and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh office-bearers here to review the party's programmes in the politically crucial state where assembly polls are due next year.

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, deputy chief ministers Dinesh Sharma and Keshav Prasad Maurya, and senior RSS official bearers Dattatreya Hosabole and Krishna Gopal were present at a meeting held at the CM's residence by the central leaders who arrived on a two-day visit.

"No political discussions took place in the meeting. It was more on the organisation, especially the programmes, training and 'pravaas' (taking stock of organisational matters)," a senior leader, who was privy to the consultations, said.

He also said that no discussions were held on the election of zila panchayat chairpersons or the 2022 assembly elections.

This is the second visit by the central leaders this month as the party sets in motion preparations for the crucial assembly polls next year in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic.

During their earlier visit from May 31 to June 2, Radha Mohan Singh had shot down speculation of a leadership change in the state and had defended the Yogi Adityanath government's handling of the COVID-19 situation.

On Sunday, Uttar Pradesh minister Swami Prasad Maurya said the state's next chief minister will be decided by the BJP's central leadership after the assembly polls, prompting the Samajwadi Party to suggest that the ruling party is divided on the leadership issue.

Earlier in the day, the two central leaders met UP BJP chief Swatantra Dev Singh and state general secretary Sunil Bansal and discussed various campaigns of the party.

The two leaders later headed for the office of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in Niralanagar locality in the state capital.

Party sources said that at the RSS office, Santhosh and other party leaders met Sangh office bearers, including 'Kshetra Pracharak' Anil.

They are understood to have held discussions on 2022 UP Assembly elections and the allegations of corruption in the purchase of land in Ayodhya by the Ram temple trust, the sources said.

However, when asked about the meeting, Swatantra Dev Singh said that it was a courtesy call and no particular issue was discussed.

A UP BJP spokesperson said that Santhosh will hold meetings with party office bearers and review COVID-19-related campaigns and other 'seva' works.

He will also give his guidance for upcoming party campaigns and programmes.

A party office-bearer said that Santhosh has come for the 'monthly review' of the various ongoing programmes of the party.

"There are 11 programmes, and he has come to see how they are being implemented by the UP unit of the BJP," he said.

Opposition parties have been attacking the Yogi Adityanath government over the situation during the second COVID-19 wave and plan to raise it as a major election issue.

In recent days, they have trained guns at the BJP over allegations of corruption in the purchase of land in Ayodhya by the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, which has dismissed the charges as politically motivated.

The BJP leaders have hit back at the opposition, claiming it was an attempt to derail the Ram Temple construction by levelling false allegations.