If Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Union Home Minister Amit Shah say ‘yes’ to Yogi Adityanath’s candidature from Ayodhya and the BJP goes on to win the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, this deserves to be tagged as the most significant political maneuvres of this election.
The announcement of poll dates finally injected the political oomph that “UP ke chunav” (elections in UP) are known for. Like a rehearsed ritual, the gloves came off. Parties and netas started making moves that have the meaty body blows delivering quality about them.
I recall that in August 1999 days before the first of the three phases of polling in UP, the then Chief Minister late Kalyan Singh had said, “Ye samay hawa badha ke aandhi banane ka hota hai. Jiske paanv ukhade wo ud jayega [the period after announcement of poll dates is the time to turn winds into blizzards. Those who lose balance will get blown away].”
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav made the first moves that created a loud political crunch. His photographs with some of the political defectors nine MLAs and three ministers in all abandoning the BJP till Thursday evening to join him instantly beefed up his narrative that “hawa BJP ke khilaf hai” (the wind is against the BJP).
