Eyeing 'decisive win' BJP says development, governance have taken backseat in UP

Allahabad (Uttar Pradesh): Blowing the poll bugle for the next year's Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday expressed concern over the prevailing law and order situation in the state and said both development and governance have taken a backseat under the current Samajwadi Party-led regime. Speaking to ANI on the sidelines on BJP's national executive meeting, Union Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the saffron party had emerged as a national party with its influence spreading to all parts. "Our chief (Amit Shah) has clearly said that the BJP has spread across the country from Kanyakumari to Kashmir and from Kutch to Guwahati. We have won in Assam and won some seats in Kerala, West Bengal, these are good signs for the future. Next elections are in Uttar Pradesh and we have to secure a decisive win there," Prasad told ANI here. "Other than this, the elections will be held in Gujarat, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Himachal. Our workers will work hard," he added. He further said the nation cannot progress as long as Uttar Pradesh does not embark on the path of development. "He expressed concern over prevailing situation in UP, the governance there, the Mathura incident. So, development and governance is lacking in the state. The country cannot progress unless UP develops. We will work so that BJP gets full majority in the state," he told ANI. With an eye on next year's Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, the BJP's two-day national executive meeting began here today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived here for the meet earlier today, told the BJP workers not to take the opposition lightly and counter their accusations by working for the people. Besides Prime Minister Modi, the national executive meeting would be attended by party president Amit Shah, senior members of the Union Cabinet, Chief Ministers of the BJP-ruled states and Members of Parliament. It is expected that during the proceedings, besides discussing many political issues, strategy will be chalked out for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. The achievements during two years of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre will be another highlight of the meeting.