In what could be termed as yet another "indirect dig" at his own government led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Uttar Pradesh, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya has emphasised the crucial role of the party organisation in winning elections, stating that it is the party, not the government, that contests and wins elections. His statement gains further significance as it follows closely on the heels of his earlier remarks that the party organisation is always bigger than the government, which had caused a considerable flutter within political circles.
What Keshav Prasad Maurya said?
Addressing the working committee meeting of the state unit of the BJP's Backward Classes Morcha in Lucknow, Maurya said, "Was there a BJP government in 2014? Did we win the (Lok Sabha) elections or not? In the 2017 (UP Assembly elections), were we having the government? Did we win or not? When we had won, there was no government, and when the government was there, we felt that we can do it on the strength of the government," he said. "Based on the strength of the government, an election cannot be won. The party contests it and it is the party which wins it ('sarkaar ke bal pe chunaav nahi jeeta jaataa, party hee lardti hai, aur party hee jeetati hai'). It is always the party which contests the elections, and it is the party which eventually wins it," Maurya added.
Maurya urges party workers to focus on 2027 assembly polls
Maurya also called on BJP party workers to focus on securing a historic win in the 2027 UP Assembly elections. Speaking to party members, he emphasised the need to "forget the mistakes ('chook') which were committed in 2024 (Lok Sabha polls)" and work diligently towards the upcoming state elections.
Rumblings in UP BJP?
Maurya's call to action comes amid signs of internal discord within the BJP in Uttar Pradesh. The party faced unexpected setbacks in the recent Lok Sabha polls, losing to the SP-Congress alliance. This defeat has amplified the acknowledged differences between Maurya and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, a dynamic that has been a topic of discussion even within the party ranks, as per reports.
At a recent state party meeting attended by both Adityanath and BJP chief JP Nadda, Maurya reiterated that "organisation is always bigger than government," a remark widely interpreted as being directed at the Chief Minister. During the same meeting, CM Adityanath attributed the party's electoral losses to "over-confidence" and highlighted the need to better counter the opposition I.N.D.I.A bloc's campaign.
(With inputs from PTI)
ALSO READ: Watch: Yogi Adityanath holds key party meet, Keshav Maurya and Brajesh Pathak share stage with UP CM
