A deeply worried BJP central leadership through a series of high-level meetings asked Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to amend his “disconnect” with State MLAs, Ministers and State leaders and effect changes in his Cabinet to balance the caste equations.
The CM who met Prime Minister Narendra Modi here at his residence for about 75 to 80 minutes defended his track record in governance and Covid-19 management with “lot of evidence and documents”, according to sources.
The changes in the UP Cabinet may make room for former bureaucrat AK Sharma, known close to Modi, and Jitin Prasada, the former Congress Brahmin leader from UP . The four MLC vacant seats could help election of those who may be inducted in the council of Ministers.
According to sources, Yogi’s inaction on Sharma’s induction into the Ministry had become sore point between the two leaders.
With UP polls only seven months away, Yogi is to remain the face of the BJP but under guidence of BJP’s central leadership, sources said alluding to the “outcome” of marathon meetings of last two-days.
The central leadership, “deeply worried” on feedback on Covid-19 management during the second coronavirus wave with floating dead bodies making a dent on party’s image , has sought Yogi to amend his alleged “disconnect” with MLAs and State Ministers and “be more accessable and “deal with the differences”.
“Today, I had the privilege of meeting with respected PM Modi and get his guidance. I wholeheartedly thank him for taking out time from his busy schedule for the meeting and the counsel,” the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister tweeted in Hindi along with a photo with the Prime Minister.
Yogi has understood to have apprised the Prime Minister about the political situation in the State and steps taken to control the second wave of Covid pandemic. Besides, overall governance in the State and caste equations in the run-up to UP polls also came-up in the meeting.
Shortly after, Yogi went to BJP president J P Nadda’s residence where he held discussions for nearly one and half hours.
“Met Uttar Pradesh’s successful Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath,” Nadda tweeted.
Yogi has been holding back-to-back meetings with Delhi leadership since Thursday. On Thursday, he held a 90-minute long meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah.
Apna Dal (S) leader Anupriya Patel, a BJP ally from Uttar Pradesh who was a Minister in the first Modi-led Government, also met Shah which suggests that an anxious party is reaching out to allies.
Patel is expected to be to be given a berth in the Union Cabinet and one or more from her party may get into the UP Cabinet too, sources said.
