AS LUCKNOW WOULD HAVE IT

The Uttar Pradesh tally could trigger changes in BJP and INDIA bloc

- PRATUL SHARMA

UTTAR PRADESH IS a crucial test for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. It has been 10 years since Modi became Varanasi’s MP. The constituency has elected him twice, and he has rewarded it with the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, besides consecrating the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Modi has not just carved his place in history, but also cemented support from his core constituency.

“Modi’s entry into Kashi was marked by enthusiasm among people. The second time, it turned into trust. This time, when Modi went to Varanasi, there were scenes of reverence,” said a BJP office-bearer.

The BJP’s ‘double engine’ slogan is most visible in UP. Yogi has his stamp on the administration, particularly law and order. The police have had a free hand in reining in crime, and the deployment of bulldozers to deliver ‘instant justice’ has had other BJP-ruled states replicating it. The poll outcome would be a referendum on Yogi’s seven-year rule.

“On one side, we have PM Modi with his vision, commitment and strong implementation,” said BJP spokesperson Gopal Krishna Agarwal. “Yogi has also ushered in transformation, improved law and order, created infrastructure and enhanced spiritual tourism—be it in Kashi, Ayodhya and now Mathura…. The world needs a strong leader who could address global geopolitical challenges. It is Modi, and UP is electing him again.”