Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Lucknow to celebrate Vijayadashami next week, invited by the Uttar Pradesh unit of the BJP, that terms the celebrations as particularly poignant this year in the light of the ‘surgical strikes’ by the Indian Army across the Line of Control (LoC) between India and Pakistan.
Speaking to The Hindu , BJP’s Uttar Pradesh unit chief Keshav Prasad Maurya confirmed the invitation to Mr. Modi, saying he was “hopeful” that he would attend the Vijayadashami celebrations in Aish Bagh in Lucknow.
“I have requested the honourable Prime Minister to grace us with his presence on Vijayadashami. I hope he will accept the invitation. It is a significant day across the country especially this year. It is a day which marks the victory of justice over injustice, of the righteous way [dharma] over the wrong one [adharma], of truth over lies,” he said. “The government is deserving of all accolades for responding strongly to threats by Pakistan,” he added.
“The situation in Uttar Pradesh is particularly grim owing to the family feud in the ruling party here. The people of the State, who I feel are particularly inspired by nationalist sentiment are looking to Prime Minister Modi and the record of his government,” he said.
Mr. Maurya admitted that there was a “great feeling” among the people of Uttar Pradesh over the Indian government’s response to the attack on an Army camp in Uri that claimed the lives of 19 soldiers, but that it was not a political issue for the party.
Nevertheless, sources in the party do feel that Mr. Modi’s presence in the State on Vijay Dashami would be replete with symbolism and help the party tide over some of its troubles after incidents of cow vigilantism and unsavoury remarks by former party vice- president Daya Shankar Singh against Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati rocked the party’s campaign boat. An overarching sentiment of nationalism could mediate some of the caste equations that have gone awry recently.
Yatras planned
Sources revealed that a series of yatras by senior leaders of the party to amplify its campaign in the run-up to the Assembly polls in the State, early next year, will start after Diwali. “This whole month is occupied by festivals, after Vijay Dashami we will have Diwali. All preparations have been made for the yatras. We will wait till November to wave the green flag,” said a source.
“The people of the State feel that the Modi government has been particularly good at delivering on its promises, and has been particularly adept at dealing with Pakistan, shattering that country’s illusions that its activities would go unpunished,” said Mr. Maurya, signalling the tone and tenor of the party’s campaign rhetoric to come.
