Amit Shah Urges UP BJP Leaders to Set Aside Differences, Focus on 2027 Assembly Elections

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday urged Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers and leaders in Uttar Pradesh to put aside internal differences, disappointment and resentment and unite ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections, as the party seeks a third consecutive term in the state.

Addressing the BJP’s state executive meeting in Lucknow, Shah asked party members to leave their grievances behind and concentrate on strengthening the organisation until the votes are counted in next year’s elections.

“Aap logon ke mann main jo bhi nirasha, narazgi hai, use yahan se jaate samay Gomti mein daal kar jaiye. Ekjut rehna hai,” Shah said, urging workers to throw their disappointment and resentment into the Gomti river and remain united.

Acknowledging that many party workers might not have received positions or recognition despite their contributions, Shah said the BJP had made the “maximum adjustment” in Uttar Pradesh to accommodate them in government bodies and other organisations.

His remarks come amid growing discontent among sections of the party’s regional leadership. During a recent feedback exercise, several leaders reportedly complained that they were being overlooked by sections of the party leadership and the state administration.

At an earlier meeting chaired by BJP national president Nitin Nabin in Varanasi, a party leader reportedly expressed concerns over outsiders being accommodated in senior organisational positions, arguing that the practice made it difficult for dedicated party workers to function alongside them.

The concerns have also intensified following the BJP’s disappointing performance in recent Legislative Council elections, where the Samajwadi Party (SP) won five of the 11 seats contested. Some BJP leaders attributed the ruling party’s performance partly to dissatisfaction among its grassroots workers.

BJP Leaders Call for Greater Coordination

Addressing the gathering, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath invoked former Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani to emphasize the importance of ideological commitment over personal ambitions.

“Advani ji often said political priorities can change, but the party’s values, ideals, and ideology can never change,” Adityanath said, adding that BJP workers remained committed to the party regardless of personal recognition or setbacks.

State BJP president Pankaj Chaudhary urged party workers to assess their organisational preparedness ahead of the Assembly elections.

He identified four key areas requiring attention: activity at every polling booth, regular functioning of booth committees, effective performance by office-bearers and stronger engagement between local leaders and the public.

Chaudhary also called on MPs, MLAs and MLCs to maintain regular communication with party workers and listen to their concerns.

“The BJP’s real capital is its workers, not power,” he said, emphasizing that respecting grassroots workers remained a priority for the party leadership.

A senior BJP functionary said the party would undertake an outreach exercise in the coming weeks to address grievances and resolve dissatisfaction among workers before the election schedule is announced.

Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya also appealed to party members to rise above personal ambitions and internal differences.

“Jaiye sab kuchh bhool, har Vidhan Sabha mein khilaiye kamal ka phool,” Maurya said, urging workers to focus on winning every Assembly constituency.

He added that better coordination among MPs, MLAs and organisational leaders would be essential to securing a strong electoral mandate.

Shah Targets SP and Congress

In his address, Shah also launched attacks on the Congress and the Samajwadi Party, questioning their prospects in Uttar Pradesh politics.

He claimed that the Congress would not return to power in the next three decades under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership and said the SP had not won an election under Akhilesh Yadav’s leadership.

Referring to the 2012 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Shah pointed out that the SP had won under the leadership of its founder Mulayam Singh Yadav, who was then guiding the party.

Shah also recalled the October 30, 1990, firing on kar sevaks in Ayodhya, saying Uttar Pradesh voters would not forgive the Samajwadi Party for the incident. Mulayam Singh Yadav was the state’s chief minister at the time.

The Home Minister praised Adityanath’s administration, claiming its performance was “200% more” than the work carried out by previous SP and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) governments.

He attributed increased investment and job creation in the state to improvements in law and order and said Uttar Pradesh had performed well in implementing welfare schemes launched by the Narendra Modi government.

BJP Frames 2027 Contest Around Development and Nationalism

Chaudhary described the 2027 Assembly elections as a contest between “vinash aur vikas” (destruction and development) and “jatiwad aur rashtrawad” (casteism and nationalism).

He urged BJP leaders not to adopt a defensive approach when responding to opposition criticism and called on them to counter allegations with facts.

“The Opposition has no neeti, niyat, or neta (policy, intent, leader),” Chaudhary said, accusing opposition parties of relying on allegations rather than discussions about public policy and development.

He also criticized Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge over remarks concerning the Prime Minister’s father, describing them as objectionable.

Chaudhary alleged that the Congress, Samajwadi Party and other opposition parties were pursuing negative politics through personal attacks and unsubstantiated allegations.

The BJP leadership’s repeated appeals for unity and greater coordination reflect the party’s focus on addressing internal grievances, strengthening its grassroots network and preparing its organisational machinery for the crucial 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.