Amid the feverish demonetisation debate, the BJP will continue with its push in the key poll-bound State of Uttar Pradesh that is likely to have seven-phased elections, beginning February and ending before the commencement of the board examinations in March and April.
In the run-up to the keenly fought UP polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit his lok Sabha constituency Varanasi on December 24 even as Home Minister Rajnath Singh will hold the BJP's mega road-show on the same day on his turf in lucknow. A week later, Modi will again be in UP as he will address a public rally on January two in UP's capital city
BJP is trying hard to make a comeback after a 14-year banishment in the electorally most important State as demonetisation is set to be one of the main poll planks and may leave its mark on the election outcomes. No party is yet assertive enough to claim a clear sweep in the sprawling state with numerous caste calculations.
All the party leaders, Ministers, MPs and MlAs of the BJP have been asked by the central leadership to clear ‘misgivings’ of people, if any, on demonetisation and explain aims and objectives of "cash-less or less-cashless economy" to electorates. BJP leaders have been personally visiting constituencies to organise demonstrations on "cash-less transactions".
Towards this end, Minority affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi inaugurated a 'cash-less chaupal' in Muradabad on Monday with 'leading bank managers' in attendance teaching lessons in cash-less operations and mobile-net banking. He said in a way Electronic Voting machines have been 100 per cent successful, the digital banking would also succeed and prove an anti-dote against black money. Naqvi will have a similar chaupal in Delhi on December 21.
Seeking to be firm-footed on the demonetisation issue, BJP has mobilized its cadre to redress the difficulties faced by people standing in long queue before banks or Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) to deposit or withdraw money.
"The entire effort" is now focused to have the demonetisation "implemented" in its entirety, said a senior leader who refused to comment on "the decision." The demonetisation has, meanwhile, been "carefully debated" by the main political rivals — BSP and SP — in the State as both the parties are criticising the fallout of the demonetisation and not the measure itself..
"Ruling SP Government is not cooperating in cash transfers in Uttar Pradesh after it is being air lifted there", said BJP's National Secretary Shrikant Sharma adding the scene is entirely different in Madhya Pradesh where State Government has "facilitated" movement of cash to Banks and ATMs. Asked whether SP has hand in engineering violence after 'note-bandi', Sharma said there were attempts to do that.
Shama, who has recently returned from an extensive tour of East UP, maintained that anti-black money measures have got "wide approval" by the people in the state and would "positively impact" poll results.