LUCKNOW: The Yogi government’s decision to raise the honorarium of rural local bodies chairpersons and members and bestowing more administrative powers marks BJP’s attempt to reinforce its grip at grassroots and mobilize foot soldiers, especially in rural areas, ahead of state elections due early next year.
On Wednesday, chief minister Yogi Adityanath announced raising the honorarium of various rural local bodies chairman and members by Rs 500 to Rs 1,500 and raised their financial powers from Rs 2lakh to Rs 5lakh.
The move comes around five months after BJP swept rural local bodies’ polls, winning 67 of 75 posts of zila panchayat chairman and 640 of 825 block pramukh chairman posts in a high-stakes election that saw a direct contest between BJP and SP.
Though local bodies’ elections are not fought on party symbols, BJP had formally announced names of its candidates, triggering a frenetic electoral battle which was considered a precursor to the big poll contest in 2022. The election largely remained restricted between BJP and SP, despite Mayawati’s BSP and Congress throwing their hat in the ring. Notably, in 2016 when SP was in power it won 60 of 75 seats of zila panchayat chairman. Yet, the party was decimated by the saffron outfit a year later in 2017 assembly poll.
Experts point out that the sop announced by CM would arm BJP to mobilize its functionaries at rural local bodies, which hold the key to the assembly elections. Records show that nearly 8.7lakh chairpersons and ward members of zila panchayat, kshetra panchayat (block level) and gram panchayat were elected directly as well indirectly in July.
“The decision to raise honorarium and increase administrative powers of rural local bodies is bound to send out a strong message at grassroots. Local bodies representative with neutral leanings may surely get moved by the state government gesture,” said political expert JP Shukla.
“However, one cannot say the same for those who have anti-BJP leaning,” he said.
BJP leaders pointed out that local bodies representatives have a big role in implementation of welfare schemes of the Centre and the state government —PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, PM Awas Yojana and PM Gareeb Kalyan Anna Yojana — entailing free food grain distribution to poor during pandemic.
“This will increase their efficiency and encourage them to work harder. The basic aim of BJP is to provide due benefits to farmers and poor,” said UP BJP spokesperson Alok Awasthi.
