Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday sharpened the BJP's attack on the Opposition over issues of faith and identity, accusing parties that support "land jihad, love jihad and spit jihad" of prioritising vote-bank politics over people's religious beliefs as the party intensified preparations for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
Speaking at the Awadh region Shakti Kendra Sanyojak Sammelan held at the Rashtra Prerna Sthal in the presence of BJP national president Nitin Nabin, Adityanath described Shakti Kendras as the foundation of India's democratic structure, saying they serve as the first point of contact with every voter.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's emphasis on grassroots electoral strategy, the chief minister said elections are ultimately decided at the booth level. He called upon party workers to further reinforce booth and Shakti Kendra committees in the run-up to the 2027 Assembly polls, asserting that the BJP's electoral success would depend on the strength of this organisational network.
Adityanath also accused the Opposition of lacking a distinct ideological vision, alleging that opposing both the BJP and India had become central to its political approach.
Taking aim at the Samajwadi Party, he claimed that governments before 2017 had protected the mafia, while the BJP government was bolstering national security through the production of BrahMos missiles in Lucknow. He said the double-engine government was delivering development, security and welfare benefits to the poor, farmers, women and youth without discrimination.
Calling for stronger engagement at the grassroots level, the chief minister urged every booth and Shakti Kendra to collectively listen to the Prime Minister's Mann Ki Baat every month, deliberate on issues concerning Uttar Pradesh and work towards implementing them to build a dedicated organisational cadre.
State BJP president Pankaj Chaudhary described Shakti Kendras as the backbone of the party's organisational framework and said their coordinators would play a decisive role in securing another BJP victory in the 2027 Assembly elections. Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak also addressed the gathering, expressing confidence that the BJP would return to power in Uttar Pradesh with an even larger mandate while highlighting the government's work in the areas of law and order, development and welfare.
