UP Election: Rift evident but PM Modi lauds Yogi's scheme

Lucknow: Amid reports of a rift between the BJP Central leadership with the UP Chief Minister, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded Yogi Adityanath for a scheme to support elderly people in the state.

The scheme that offers healthcare, emotional support and legal assistance for the elderly has been responded with "Very good initiative!" by PM Modi.

Both the Central and State leaderships of the BJP is trying to scrape out the tarnished image for a number of issues the state has been criticised ahead of the Assembly election next year. Several senior BJP leaders are believed to have raised a red flag against Yogi, with whom, they consider the party's return to the UP's power impossible.

Last week, senior BJP leaders, including PM Modi, held a series of meetings discussing the various issues related to UP's governance, particularly how the state handled the COVID pandemic. Even the members of the Yogi Cabinet came out criticising the government's not so appreciative response to the pandemic while scores of bodies appeared floating in the rivers.

The death counts induced by the virus infection is still a mystery for besides the uncounted bodies ashore, even more bodies found buried in the sandbanks of Ganga. Such a horrific situation was not a report that can be buried along with the bodies, as the media cried out how pathetic and irresponsible the state government turned out in response to the pandemic.

Many MLAs and MPs from the UP even complained they were not allowed access to the Chief Minister, who is again condemned as a leader who failed to take everyone into his confidence.

When a Central leadership went to the UP to take stock of the situation after many leaders in the state complained about the CM's despotic attitude in many a situation where the key leaders were excluded from registering their voices, reportedly came back with recommendations into the removal of the Chief Minister.

Not only many party leaders who stood against the CM Yogi, the BJP allies in the state Apna Dal's Anupriya Patel and leaders of the Nishad Samaj, have also been not in easy-going with the CM's unilateral decisions and its implementation for quite a time. They were also reportedly suggested a leadership change in the state to prepare the ground for the next Assembly elections.