By Pradeep Kapoor
LUCKNOW: There is virtual no opposition to Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh. There is complete demoralisation in the rank and file of main opposition parties following near surrender by top leadership.
Yogi Adityanath has completed more than half of his term in the office but his government never faced street demonstration by the opposition parties.
The main opposition party Samajwadi Party was seen hitting the roads recently only on the issue of alleged victimisation of senior leader and former minister and sitting MP Mohd Azam Khan who is facing more then 80 FIRs registered against him on various charges from land grabbing to cattle theft.
There is no public sympathy in favour of Mohd. Azam Khan who was known for his arrogance when he was in power. Significantly Samajwadi Party was not seen hitting roads on any issue concerning general public.
It was expected that young President and former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav would come out of his comfort zone and take up issues of public concern and hit roads but he was nowhere to be seen. Demoralised by the attitude of the leadership three Rajya Sabha MPs Neeraj Shekhar, Sanjay Seth and Surender Nagar quit the House and party and they joined BJP and got re-elected.
Similarly BSP leadership appears to be in line with BJP as Mayawati is supporting Modi government and Yogi Governments on crucial issues. Mayawati openly annouced support on abrogation of article 370 and triple talaq and other important issues. The rank and file of BSP is upset as Mayawati never challenged Yogi Government on any issues related to poor governance.
The only party which came out on street on public issues is Congress Party. Priyanka Gandhi is very vocal on the issues of corruption. Priyanka not only directed her party leaders and but also led the demonstration in districts to mobilize public support. Her Gandhi Sandesh Yatra on October 2 at Lucknow was a grand success as far as mobilisation of party workers was concerned.
But Samajwadi Party BSP and Congress Party were embarrassed when their four MLAs attended special session of UP legislature convened on the occasion of 150 years of Gandhi Jayanti. It would be worth mentioning here that entire opposition had given a call to boycott the special session.
Congress was all the more embarrassed when Rajya Sabha MP Dr Sanjay Singh of Amethi quit the membership of the House and party to join BJP and was re-elected as MP. Dr Sanjay Singh was given party ticket from Sultanpur but he lost. His wife Amita was also given ticket in 2017 Assembly polls but she lost to first wife of Sanjay Singh Garima who won on BJP ticket.
Never before the opposition appeared to be so helpless and weak as this time giving free hand to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. (IPA Service)