Not that it was not done before, but suddenly, after the second phase of Uttar Pradesh’s seven-phase elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) election campaign language, and examples cited during the rally speeches have sharply nosedived. This low level of the high pitched campaigning is inviting a lot of flak from all quarters, more so because it is coming from none other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister of the state Yogi Adityanath, plus the party’s other star campaigners.
The 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections are this time bipolar. The two chief parties are the ruling BJP and the Samajwadi Party (SP). Hence the attacks are directed at each other. While the BJP strategy in these elections is total polarization on communal lines, it is actually the SP that is following BJP’s “sub ka saath , sub ka vikas’ vision and reaching out to all, irrespective of caste, creed, or religion.
Few months before the election date was announced the BJP set the pre-poll tone by the chief minister trigging off periodic statements alleging that the caste-based SP party was beset with parivaarwaadi (pro family) agenda and lawlessness and goondaraj. These old allegations against SP were suddenly peppered with a jeering of ‘laal topiwaaley’, (red cap of Samajwadi Party members) red alert warning by Modi. All too soon Yogi took off from here, alleging that Akhilesh was an atangwadi samarthak (supporters of terrorists). The latest is Modi branding the SP poll symbol cycle, as a vehicle of terrorism.
The PM was speaking at an election rally at Hardoi on Sunday wherein he hailed the conviction of the 49 convicts involved in the 26th July, 2008 serial blast in the Ahmedabad serial blast. The RDX was kept in tiffin boxes that were strapped on bicycles. Linking it to the SP poll symbol, which is a bicycle Modi alleged that while the BJP wants to bring an end to all perpetrators of Jihadi terrorism, politicians like Akhilesh are a patron of Terrorists and provide them a shield for vote bank. He said the SP chief is kind to these anti-national elements and he had even set free those lodged in jails as soon as his government came to power in 2012 in Uttar Pradesh.
“These statements are highly objectionable, shameful, irresponsible, and unbecoming of a head a country. They must be condemned in harshest words,” said Syed Abbas Haider, national spokesman of the Samajwadi Party.
Supporting his party poll symbol Haider said that their symbol represents the toiling masses and it projects the strength and aspiration of the have-nots of society. Unlike the BJP symbol which only thrives in muck and slush, he said the cycle is driven by purpose and direction. Haider added that the rising prices of petrol in the Modi era Cycle is a true solace for the common man.
He said it is deplorable how the Prime minister of a developing country like India calls a cycle, which is the common man’s mode of transport a vehicle of terrorism. He said the PM had earlier shown his disrespect for the working class by calling the SP red party cap, which is a symbol of socialism as ‘red alert’.
Modi had Jeered at Akhilesh calling him Laal Topi waley UP may Rad (read red) alert hain red alert ( Hey you red cap wearer, there is a red alert in UP).
He said that by linking the SP poll symbol cycle to terrorism and by calling SP chief Akhilesh a patron of terrorists the BJP is showing signs of utter hopelessness and is groping for anything that may save them from the humiliation.
Haider predicted that not only will the BJP fall flat in UP elections but it will be completely wiped out in the General elections of 2024.
| Posted by Minhaj Adnan | 
