With an eye on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has begun wooing the Lodh community from Uttar Pradesh. A statue of the late former CM Kalyan Singh, among the tallest leaders from the community, has been installed in Lucknow. UP CM Yogi Adityanath unveiled it on Sunday to mark Singh’s first death anniversary.
The Lodh community accounts for 8% of the state’s population. The BJP will also run a public awareness campaign in UP highlighting how it is the only party that talks about the interest of Lodh voters.
As part of its strategy, the BJP government has included Kalyan Singh’s grandson Sandeep in the Yogi Adityanath cabinet as the Minister of Basic Education. On the other hand, Kalyan Singh’s son Rajveer Singh is a BJP MP.
The leadership is also keeping a close watch on all castes of Uttar Pradesh and has intensified work on every level to attract them, be it by giving representation in the government or the organisation.
THE KALYAN SINGH CONNECTION
The BJP strategists have carefully prepared a plan centred around the legacy of Kalyan Singh. Singh’s 9-ft tall bronze statue has been installed at the Cancer Institute in Lucknow. It will be the first statue of the leader installed in Uttar Pradesh. This statue has been prepared at a cost of more than ₹ 30 lakh.
On the occasion of the inauguration of Operation Theater Block at Kalyan Singh Super Specialty Cancer Institute on the first death anniversary of former Chief Minister Shri Kalyan Singh ‘Babuji’ in Lucknow. https://t.co/QaoJrmagsB
— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) August 21, 2022
At the unveiling, CM Adityanath was present along with senior leaders and ministers of his cabinet, associates of Singh and key leaders from the Lodh community.
Through the event, the BJP is trying to send out a message that Kalyan Singh was always respected by the BJP. Even though Singh left the party citing his displeasure, he later returned and was made the governor.
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