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HomePoliticsBJP workers to be appointed OSDs to UP ministers

BJP workers to be appointed OSDs to UP ministers

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After Amit Shah’s advice, the state BJP unit takes steps to improve communication between the Yogi government and the party.

Soon, every minister in Uttar Pradesh will get an officer on special duty (OSD), who would be a party worker recommended by the state BJP. The move is aimed at bridging what the ruling party perceives as a communication gap between the Yogi Adityanath government and itself.

The decision comes in the wake of BJP national president Amit Shah’s visit to the state last month. Shah, who was in Lucknow from July 29 to 31, was believed to have been apprised by party workers that they were not happy with the functioning of the Yogi government.

Several district level leaders had complained that ministers were paying no heed to suggestions by party workers.  A section of MLAs too had similar grievances.

Before returning to Delhi, Shah reportedly advised Yogi to improve co-ordination with workers so that BJP could repeat its spectacular performance of 2014 in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Following this, the CM had called a meeting of senior officials, ministers and party functionaries and asked them to come out with ideas to ensure better coordination between the government and the party.

It was observed that the personal secretaries of the ministers—usually state government officials—have no clue about BJP’s organisational issues. Moreover, these officers treat party workers as normal visitors and restrict their access to ministers, it was felt.

“If a party worker, who knows everyone in the organisation, is there with a minister, the job for both the minister and the party workers would be much easier,” said a BJP leader. “This will immediately improve the working relations and party workers will be able to give genuine feedback about the government to the minister concerned.”

A list of BJP workers, who would be appointed OSDs, is being prepared under the supervision of Sunil Bansal, BJP state secretary (organisation). All the OSDs are likely to take charge within a month.

In another initiative, each minister will be advised by 12 MLAs. These legislators would regularly meet the minister concerned and update him on the government’s work being carried out in their respective constituencies. “These are some of the measures that the government will initiate in the coming days,” said a senior state BJP leader. “Our concern is that there should not be any anti-incumbency before 2019 Lok Sabha elections.”

It is also learnt that the CM had asked his ministers to sit in the party office twice every week so that BJP workers could meet them without appointment. To take this initiative forward, the CM himself would spend time at the BJP office in Lucknow on certain days.

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