Following allegations from several Uttar Pradesh BJP leaders about a “disconnect between the BJP cadre and the party-led government” contributing to the party’s underperformance in the recent Lok Sabha elections, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has initiated steps to address these concerns.

Adityanath has met with over 200 current and former BJP MLAs, MPs, and Legislative Council members from various regions of the state over the past few days. These meetings, held at his residence in Lucknow, involved both group discussions and one-on-one sessions. The CM sought feedback on the reasons for the “difference in the BJP’s performance” in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections compared to the 2022 Assembly elections, and discussed future strategies.

In the 2022 Assembly elections, the BJP, led by Adityanath, won 255 out of 403 seats, while the Samajwadi Party (SP) secured 111 seats and the Congress only two. However, in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP won just 33 of UP’s 80 seats, down from 62 in 2019. Its allies, RLD and Apna Dal (Soneylal), won two and one seats respectively, while the SP claimed 37 seats and its INDIA partner Congress won six.

On Thursday, Adityanath met BJP MLAs and MPs from Meerut and Prayagraj divisions, and had individual meetings with several current and former party MLAs and MLCs, including Rajbala, Rajiv Tarara, Om Kumar, and Akash Saxena.

He also held a one-on-one meeting with Sanjay Nishad, NISHAD Party chief and state minister, whose son Praveen Nishad lost the Sant Kabir Nagar seat as a BJP candidate. Sanjay Nishad, who had criticized the state government’s “style of functioning” and the “misuse of bulldozers” for the NDA’s poor performance, softened his stance after meeting with Adityanath, expressing support and describing the CM as a “guardian.”

Nishad reported that issues concerning his community were addressed or assurances were given during his meeting with the CM. He emphasized a positive discussion about strengthening the Fisheries Ministry to benefit his community and resolving social issues.

Adityanath also met BJP MLAs and MPs from Bareilly and Moradabad divisions, and held individual meetings with legislators such as Devendra Singh Lodhi, Vipin Kumar Verma, Ravindra Bhadana, and Umesh Gautam, among others.

A BJP MLA highlighted Adityanath’s attentiveness to their concerns, noting that discussions focused on understanding the reasons for the disparity in the party’s performance between the 2022 Assembly and 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The MLA stressed the importance of resolving these issues before the 2027 Assembly elections.

Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya has also been engaging with party leaders and cadre, including legislators and OBC allies like Om Prakash Rajbhar of the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP). During the state BJP executive meeting on July 14, Maurya emphasized that “sangathan (organization) is bigger than sarkar (government),” hinting at internal complaints about the government’s and bureaucracy’s functioning.