A closed door meeting between the Sangh leaders in presence of Sar Karyawah or general secretary of RSS Dattatreya Hosabale in Lucknow on Tuesday sparked speculation that something big could happen in the Government as well as the party organisation of Uttar Pradesh.
The Sangh leaders are tight-lipped about the outcome of the meeting. One of the Pracharks told The Pioneer that “it is a routine meeting” where senior leaders sit and confabulate about the present situation and how Sangh can play a role in this situation.
He further said that it was Hosabale’s first visit to Lucknow after being appointed as the Sar Karyawah of the RSS and therefore this meeting was called today.
The importance of the meeting could be gauged from the fact that two days back Hosabale held a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, organising secretary (Uttar Pradesh) Sunil Bansal and BJP's national president JP Nadda in New Delhi. Immediately after that his meeting in Lucknow sparked speculation that something big could happen at the party or the Government level.
The meetings are considered the beginning for BJP’s strategy for UP elections, slated for early next year. Insiders in the party claim that the corona epidemic has brought to the fore various fault lines in the party’s strategies. The biggest being a feeling among the backwards and the most backwards in the BJP that they are being ignored. The Brahmins also feel sidelined as there is a belief that Thakurs are calling the shots in the UP Government because Chief Minister Adityanath Yogi belongs to a Thakur caste.
“UP election is not easy. It is a caste maze where the party which can get its caste equations correct wins the elections. This time members of the backward community are likely to play a decisive role,” a senior upper caste leader said, quoting Keshav Prasad Maurya was not utilised properly.
A feeling within the party is party’s State president Swatantra Dev Singh, who was very successful as general secretary of the party, has failed to deliver as party president. The party and the Government never looked on the same page, which resulted in resentment among the party workers and lawmakers.