Since UP is home state of BJP national president Rajnath Singh, he is also making all the efforts to ensure large number of seats from this state in Lok Sabha. These polls are testing grounds for BJP-RSS and Rajnath Singh as well.

That UP is top on the agenda of BJP is evident from the fact that close aide of Gujarat CM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah has been appointed as BJP national general secretary in charge of state BJP for 2014 polls.

The indications are loud and clear as Uttar Pradesh with 80 Lok Sabha seats will be critical to the BJP's preparations for 2014 elections. The BJP in its prime has won as many as 57 seats out of 85 in undivided Uttar Pradesh, but since nineties the party's fortunes have dwindled with each passing Lok Sabha polls. With its tally now reduced to mere 10, UP will be the ‘in focus’ state for the party.

Although everybody knows about growing clout of Gujarat CM Narendra Modi in the party, but even then the BJP national president has made it clear that he announced Amit Shah’s (close aide of Modi) name on his own.

The demand to field Narendra Modi from Lucknow is growing with every passing day. Since Lucknow had elected Atal Behari Vajpayee since 1991 in every successive Lok Sabha polls till he decided not to contest, some BJP leaders feel that if Narendra Modi gets projected as the PM candidate, then he should contest from this constituency.

There is a perception in BJP leaders and workers that if Narendra Modi decides to contest from Lucknow, his presence and campaign would enthuse party workers and voters on the issues of Hindutva and good governance and party could get more seats.

Although the party has announced that all the sitting members would be given tickets, but the party workers feel Modi might be the BJP candidate from Lucknow and Lalji Tondon, who is a sitting MP, could be adjusted in Rajya Sabha.

The recent meeting of the core group of the state BJP also discuss the names of candidates for all the 80 seats in UP.

The meeting held under the president of state party Chief Laxmikant Vajpai also discussed the possibility of putting over a dozen party MLAs in Lok Sabha polls.

Besides the names of three former presidents, the names of BJP MLAs Kalraj Mishsra, Uma Bharti, Hukum Singh, Satish Mahana, Nepal Singh, Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti and Lokendra were discussed for Lok Sabaha polls. It was decided that a resolution containing these names would be sent to the party’s national leadership

The meeting also decided that party should set the target to ensure 40 Lok Sabha seats from UP and mobilise all resources to ensure party candidates’ victory.

Former chief minister Kalyan Singh who was also present in the meeting said that only those with good image and winning ability should be given tickets.

BJP meet also decided that party should be more aggressive on Akhilesh Yadav government and should come on street to oppose its anti-people decisions like recent hike in power tariff, deterioration in law and order and damage through appeasement policy. (IPA)