It's Yogi versus the BJP!

Uttar Pradesh, the heartland of the Hindi belt is a very important State in the electoral scheme of things, nationally.

Generally, whoever forms the government in Uttar Pradesh also goes on to form the government at the Centre.

However, in the recent elections to the Lok Sabha, the BJP saw its tally decrease from 63 to 33 whereas the Samajwadi Party got 37 seats making it the largest Party from the State which sends the highest number of MPs to the Lok Sabha.

This decline in seats was a major factor for the BJP in not being able to get an absolute majority on its own, at the Centre.

There are by-elections due to be held for 10 assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh later this year. Of those 10 seats, Samajwadi Party had 5, BJP 3 and alliance partners had one each.

Yogi Adityanath has already started poll preparations for these by-polls and constituted a team of lyal Ministers specifically entrusting them with the task of winning these by-polls.

On the other hand, the State BJP has officially appointed its own in-charges for these constituencies.

Yogi was closeted in a meeting for hours with RSS head Mohan Bhagwat for two consecutive days, recently when the latter visited Uttar Pradesh.

Apparently, Mohan Bhagwat seems to be backing Adityanath whereas the State BJP is under the auspices of the Modi-Shah combine. Interesting times ahead!