India’s most populous state is coming out of the shock of the second wave with normalcy returning due to the decline of the cases. Just two months ago, there were reports of even people dying in the streets in the state waiting for admission as there was a shortage of beds in hospitals. Although the administration tried to increase beds in hospitals, the spread of the virus during the second wave was so rapid that even the increased beds too failed to reduce the shortages of beds making things worse for the administration.

That there is anger against the state administration on the ground is a truth that the ruling BJP leadership can’t deny. The recent panchayat elections, where the former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party performed better than the BJP, held during the devastating covid wave has given a warning to the saffron party. With the state assembly polls only eight months away, the saffron party after its setback in West Bengal can’t afford to lose Uttar Pradesh, which sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha. There is, no doubt, that returning to power in the state would not only minimize the loss the BJP suffered in West Bengal but will also hugely boost the party’s chances in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

The second wave has revealed limitations of the Yogi style of working, which depends mostly on bureaucracy to run daily government affairs by sidelining other ministers and also elected representatives of BJP, who generally have a better understanding of the ground realities than many bureaucrats. To be fair, Yogi himself tested positive — and this definitely affected the proper functioning of the administration during the initial phase of the second wave as the power is too centralized. That the two deputy chief ministers of the state — Dinesh Sharma and Keshav Prasad Maurya — even couldn’t come in handy during the crisis.

Again to be fair, Sharma too tested positive but the other deputy chief minister Maurya wasn’t. Despite this, Maurya wasn’t seen during the crisis tackling the virus when the chief minister himself was in quarantine. It is said the deputy chief ministers of the state are just by name as they don’t have a say in the government affairs. Had the power been properly distributed in Yogi’s government with deputy chief ministers and other ministers having a say in the daily affairs of the government, the ruling party wouldn’t have faced so much criticism and anger in the state.

Amid this, there is a buzz in the media that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah are “eager to remove Yogi from the post of the chief minister”. The fact is both Yogi and Modi-Shah combine are aware that if Yogi is popular in the state as chief minister then Modi is popular in the country, including Uttar Pradesh, as the prime minister. There are problems between the two but circumstances are such that BJP needs both for the coming state as well as Lok Sabha elections.

Having said this, the differences between Yogi and the central party leadership can’t be just brushed aside. Ahead of the elections, there may be a cabinet expansion in the state to fulfill the vacancies and there are rumors that MLC AK Sharma, the IAS officer turned politician considered close to Modi, will be included in the cabinet — and may even get the post of deputy chief minister. If the media reports are to be believed, Yogi is averse to the idea of inclusion of Sharma into his cabinet.

As elections are coming, it is usual that the central party leadership will be more investing its energy in the state. Particularly, when a section of state ministers and elected representatives are feeling being ignored by the Yogi administration, it is anticipated that contrasting views would crop up within the party. Already the BJP high command by sending BL Santosh, party national general secretary (organization), and Radha Mohan Singh, party’s state in-charge, to the state has given the message that efforts are on to bridge the gap between the state government and the party. Both the party central leaders held meetings with ministers of the state cabinet, party MLAs, MPs, MLCs and also party spokespersons.

The worries of the saffron party have also increased due to the prediction of a probable third Covid-19 wave. The saffron party, however, is hopeful of the state government’s remarkable response after the initial setbacks with Yogi himself visiting the districts to take stock of the ground situation and making the government visible on the ground. The saffron party believes this approach will weaken the anger. Assembly elections are still eight months away and BJP leadership feels that Yogi has enough time for course correction. Time will only prove whether BJP is right. (IPA Service)