In the run-up to the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, the BJP appears to have pulled out all the stops to rebuild organisational unity with national president Nitin Nabin himself leading from the front.
The exercise is believed to be significant in the backdrop of the BJP’s setback in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh where the party’s tally fell to 33 seats from 62 in 2019. During his September 21-22 organisational tour (pravas) of western UP, Nabin visited Saharanpur where he held meetings with party functionaries and former public representatives. For the BJP, observers feel, the challenge is not only to iron out differences, do away with factionalism and strengthen the organisation, but also to ensure that those who built and sustained the party over the years feel involved in the 2027 poll campaign.
Subsequent feedback within the organisation pointed to discontent or indifference among sections of party workers, complaints of neglect by the administration and a perceived disconnect between the grassroots cadre and the leadership. Besides interacting with mandal presidents and Shakti Kendra convenors, he met former MPs, MLAs, MLCs and other office bearers. His interaction with party workers, including lunch at the residence of a worker in Saharanpur, was also seen as an attempt to establish a direct connection beyond the formal party hierarchy and protocol. Later, he also addressed the ‘Prabuddh Varg’ (intellectual class) meeting and interacted with public representatives. He is scheduled to stay overnight in Gorakhpur, gathering feedback from formal and informal channels.
“During his first UP visit itself in July, Nitin Nabin led by example by reaching out to party office bearers, MLAs and MPs, former state presidents and grassroots functionaries, asking others to follow,” a senior BJP leader said. On Wednesday, Nabin was in Gorakhpur to lead the “Save Democracy” foot march, which was also` attended by chief minister Yogi Adityanath and state president Pankaj Chaudhary. “In fact, it is Amit Shah who, as the national president, formalised the practice of ‘pravas’ in districts, having direct interaction with grassroots workers and senior leaders alike,” another senior BJP leader recalled.
