The popular adage “the road to Delhi goes via Uttar Pradesh” continues to hold sway, prompting both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to focus on the state during their campaign for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The Chief Minister has even set the ambitious target of securing 80 out of 80 seats in UP and has devised a strategy accordingly.

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The seemingly foolproof strategy, on one hand, glorifies achievements of PM Modi in the last 10 years of his tenure, in addition to highlighting the accomplishments of the state government over the past seven years. On the other hand, it relentlessly corners the opposition for their alleged past misdeeds, lack of vision for the country, an exclusive dynastic and regressive approach, favouring the mafia and corruption, as well as their lacklustre campaigning, a senior BJP leader claimed here on Thursday.

CM Yogi Adityanath, in his rallies within the state and outside, along with describing the achievements of the central and the state governments, has continuously attacked the opposition over issues related to faith, culture, development and people’s welfare as well as its intimacy with the mafia and the corrupt.

Notably, Narendra Modi has had two successful terms as the Prime Minister of the country and UP’s contribution to his success in terms of seats has been significant on both the occasions.

The BJP said CM Yogi coined a new term ‘Ram Drohi’ in this election, describing the contest as a battle between Ram Bhakts (devotees of Lord Ram) and Ram Drohis (Ram traitors). The Chief Minister refers to the Ram Bhakts as those who, along with their ancestors, long dreamed of building the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, actively participated in the movement during the SP government’s tenure, and even faced bullets in pursuit of their cause.

Conversely, he describes Ram traitors as those who obstructed the temple’s construction, fired upon devotees, and provided various arguments to delay the Supreme Court’s decision. The statement is aimed at wooing Hindu votes, which the opposition parties have allegedly been trying desperately to divide.

CM Yogi has also been trying to corner the opposition parties on the issue of cow slaughter and the consumption of beef by referring to its manifesto in which the party advocates granting minorities the freedom to consume whatever they desire. CM Yogi alleges that through this, the Congress is promising the minorities the freedom to slaughter cows and eat beef, which, he claims, violates the faith of the majority society.

It is worth mentioning here that cow is worshipped in India and its slaughter or beef consumption are prohibited in the country. The Yogi government made the cow slaughter law even more stringent in 2020, under which there is a provision of imprisonment up to 10 years and double the punishment if found guilty again.

When former Pakistani minister Fawad Chaudhary praised Rahul Gandhi, CM Yogi introduced the topic of Pakistan into the election discourse for the first time. Later, when Congress leaders talked about Pakistan’s atom bomb, CM Yogi seized the opportunity once again to train his guns at the party and the entire INDI alliance, projecting them as the ones whose sentiments lied with the mafia and the terrorists.

CM Yogi has attacked the opposition continuously for conspiring to cut into the reservations meant for the SC, ST and OBC and giving them to the people of a particular religion against the spirit of the Constitution and wishes of Baba Saheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar. CM Yogi has also accused the Congress of planning to implement inheritance tax in the country to rob people of their ancestral properties.

In his statements, CM Yogi had accused the Congress and the opposition of engaging in appeasement politics, labelling their actions as anti-majority and discriminatory against SC, ST, and OBC communities. Additionally, he has claimed that the opposition intends to implement personal laws, asserting that the country should be governed by the Constitution, not Sharia. The CM’s allegations seem to have a demoralising effect on the opposition parties, as they have been unable to clarify their positions on the issues.

CM Yogi has launched a consistent attack on the opposition parties on the issue of nepotism. Mentioning SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as two boys, he criticises them of criminal negligence on the issues of internal and border security as well as safety of women and traders. The PM and the CM have cornered the opposition so much right from the beginning of their poll campaign, that they lost the steam to take on the ruling party effectively during their own campaign.