BJP targets UP bypoll clean sweep after Bihar setback

Left licking its wounds in Bihar, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has deployed its top guns for the September 13 Uttar Pradesh bypolls, seen as an acid test for the party ahead of assembly polls in four states.

Despite winning 33 of 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar in the general elections, the BJP managed to win only four out of 10 seats in the assembly bypolls held earlier this month.

Learning a lesson from Bihar, BJP’s Uttar Pradesh president Laxmikant Bajpai arrived in Noida on Sunday to mobilise workers for the bypolls.

“We performed poorly in Bihar because leaders there were over-confident. But we are working very hard to claim victory in all seats here,” Bajpai said.

Noida is among the 11 assembly seats going to the polls next month. Bypolls will also be held in one Lok Sabha seat.

Four MPs include Dr Bhola Singh (Bulandshahr), former army chief VK Singh (Ghaziabad), Satish Gautam (Aligarh) and Dr Mahesh Sharma (Gautam Budh Nagar) are campaigning in Noida for party candidate, industrialist Bimla Batham.

“We are leaving no stone unturned…Bihar poor show will not be repeated in UP,” said Bajpai, who claimed his party would also win the Mainpuri seat which was vacated by Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Bajpai attended a meeting in Noida’s sector 4 which was also attended by three MPs.