BJP To "Illuminate" 3 Crore Lotus In Uttar Pradesh For 2019 Republic Day

The BJP has decided to celebrate the next Republic Day by "illuminating" over 3 crore lotus in Uttar Pradesh, giving the party's poll symbol-shaped lamps to the beneficiaries of various government schemes in the state with a request to light them on that evening.

Uttar Pradesh BJP spokesperson Alok Awasthi Sunday told news agency PTI that his party will celebrate the next Republic Day in the state in the novel way under its "Kamal Jyoti Vikaas Abhiyaan".

"Under the scheme, the BJP workers will meet over 3 crore families, who have been benefitted from the various government schemes on housing, electricity, cooking gas, health, insurance and self-employment through loans etc and give them a lotus-shaped lamp along with a brochure of information on various welfare schemes of the government," he said.

"We will request the families to light the lotus-shaped lamps at fixed hours on the January 26, 2019 evening and take a pledge to bring back the PM Modi government to power in 2019 Lok Sabha election," Mr Awasthi said.

He added that this decision was taken at the party's recent brainstorming session to devise ways of campaigning for the the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

The session was attended by UP BJP chief Mahendra Nath Pandey, its general secretary (organisation) Sunil Bansal and joint general secretary (organisation) Shiv Prakash among others.

Addressing the party workers, Mr Bansal had said, "From November 10 to 15, senior party leaders and workers will go to the booths and greet members of the booth committee. On November 17, five members of each booth will take out a bike rally in their Lok Sabha constituency. From December 1 to December 15, as many as 150 party workers will take out a march in every assembly constituency."

Mr Bansal had also issued instructions that on the occasion of Sardar Vallabhbhai's birth anniversary (October 31), the party will hold a 'Run for Unity' event in each district of the state.

Speaking on this occasion, UP BJP chief Mahendra Nath Pandey had said the SP and the BSP have not been able to raise themselves beyond the casteist politics. The people of different castes, whom the SP and BSP used to treat as their vote bank, however, have been disappointed by them."

"Those very will strengthen the BJP in 2019 as they have been empowered by the various welfare schemes of the Union and state governments," Mr Pandey had claimed.