Yogi Govt 2.0: How beneficiary schemes, improved law and order in UP helped BJP retain state

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Yogi Adityanath swearing-in: An emphatic win for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Uttar Pradesh Assembly election is likely to embolden the government to push forward the pending reforms. The BJP-led NDA secured 274 seats out of 403, becoming the first party in over three decades to form a government for a second consecutive time in the state.

The support Adityanath government enjoyed from beneficiaries of central and state-run schemes has helped BJP win despite the strong caste equations in the state. 

Welfare schemes like giving free ration under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana, free treatment and cash transfers to the poor, farmers and women through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) definitely did wonders for the saffron party in the polls.

According to the BJP, the government through different schemes like PM Awas, PM Kisan, Ujjwala, Mudra loans, Ayushman Bharat and state pension reached out to a large population in Uttar Pradesh. If BJP's figures are to be believed, more than 15 crore people benefited from government schemes in the last five years.

Be it Prime Minister Narendra Modi or CM Yogi Adityanath, the politicians during their election rallies spoke about the issue of the money never reaching the actual beneficiaries during the Congress governments.

The BJP leadership's direction to ground workers to connect with the beneficiaries during the past few months and countering the opposition's narrative systematically helped the party cementing its acceptance.

Also, the distribution of more than one crore tablets to the students in Uttar Pradesh just ahead of the polls helped the party woo the young and first time voters.

Women Voters Proved Crucial

Another factor that worked for the BJP is the support of the women voters. The party was well aware of how crucial women voters are in winning elections. The government since the very first day kept women voters at core of its policies. 

The government constructed houses and toilets in the name of women. Now the party has promised to increase pension to Rs 1,500 per month, two additional LPG cylinders, pink community toilets, scooties and financial support for starting businesses. 

Free Ration Scheme 

The free ration and women security dominated the BJP's election campaign and helped in winning their support. The party also made senior functionaries part of its election management in the state.

According to the BJP's internal assessment, 18 per cent more women voted in favour of the party as compared to men. The party noted that women voters from backward castes and Dalit communities overwhemigly voted for the BJP in the polls.

Improved Law and Order 

When Yogi Adityanath was made the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh in 2017, his task was cut out. Apart from several other issues that he had to tackle, one of the biggest challenges for him was to improve law and order in the state as soon as possible. During his five-year term, Yogi Adityanath not only took out his 'bulldozer' against mafias and criminals, he also made it a point to improve policing in the state to give people, women in particular, a sense of security.  In his second term, people of UP would want Yogi - 'bulldozer baba' - to continue cracking the whip against criminals. 

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