Lok Sabha elections: BJP campaigning on in Uttar Pradesh, Congress, SP at plan stage

Elections for Uttar Pradesh's 80 Lok Sabha seats will be held in seven phases, beginning with the first phase on April 11. In 2014 elections, the BJP+ bagged 73, the Congress won two seats, while the SP managed to win five seats and the BSP none.

Bharatiya Janta Party (Source: PTI)

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh's ruling BJP has launched its campaign for the coming Lok Sabha elections across the state while its rivals -- the Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party combine and the Congress -- are yet to begin. A senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader, who did not want to be identified, told IANS that the party has started programmes to connect with voters in all districts of the sprawling state which sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha. The BJP had secured 71 seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi said at least seven programmes have been planned in each Lok Sabha constituency, including interaction of party workers with members of various party wings. "During the interaction, the party workers are asked to go and spread the message of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the voters," he said. He said this programme was as per party President Amit Shah's vision for party booth workers to connect to at least 10 families under 'Mera parivar BJP parivar'. According to BJP leaders, the party has prepared a poll programme, starting from March 24 to April 7 in all the districts of the state. On the other hand, the Congress, which also plans to contest a bulk of the seats, has not decided on any voter connect programmes yet. Congress leader Surendra Rajput said, "Our electoral campaigns will be decided by the districts units once the candidates of parliamentary constituencies are decided." The Samajwadi Party, which is contesting the polls in alliance with Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party and Ajit Singh's Rashtriya Lok Dal, also said that its programme has not been finalised yet. SP spokesperson Sunil Sajan said that the party is preparing its programme schedule keeping in mind its alliances. He said the programme will be finalised within a week but the campaigning will start after the Holi. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati will address several joint rallies across the state, he said. In 2014 elections, the Congress had won two seats, while the SP managed to win five seats and the BSP none.