BJP launches 'door-to-door' campaign across UP

The party intends to reach out to every household falling under all 92,821 polling centres comprising 1,74,351 polling booths in UP

Lucknow: With the Election Commission putting a moratorium on holding rallies and public gatherings due to a spurt in coronavirus cases, the BJP on Tuesday launched a door-to-door campaign to reach out to voters across Uttar Pradesh.

Starting the campaign in the state capital Lucknow, UP BJP chief Swatantra Dev Singh knocked on doors of houses in Ballu Adda area and pasted stickers outside the homes and also applied 'tilak' on the forehead of some house owners. One of the BJP's stickers reads 'Poore hui aas, ghar ghar huaa vikaas' (aspirations have been fulfilled, development has reached to houses).

While announcing a complete no to the holding of physical rallies and other forms of public gatherings like Nukkad Sabha till January 15 in the five states going to polls, the EC on Saturday had permitted door-to-door campaigns with not more than five persons at a time.

"As per the guidelines of the Election Commission, the BJP is reaching to the beneficiaries of various schemes of the Centre and state governments. We are giving our report card to the public, and taking suggestions from them as well. This is the first government, which is going door-to-door," Singh told reporters.

He added that the party has sought the blessings of the public through the Jan Vishvas Yatra.

UP BJP spokesman Rakesh Tripathi said that several party MPs and ministers participated in the programme in all 403 assembly seats in different parts of the state.

With the ban on physical rallies, the BJP making all efforts to retain power in the politically significant Hindi heartland has deployed its foot soldiers across the state to maintain the momentum of reaching out to the voters. On Monday, the UP BJP chief Singh had said that under this campaign, party leaders and workers will reach out to people following the Covid-19 protocol and will inform people about the work done by the Centre and state governments for farmers, workers, women and youths.

The party intends to reach out to every household falling under all 92,821 polling centres comprising 1,74,351 polling booths in the state.

"BJP workers and leaders will reach in groups of four to five persons every house falling under 1.74 lakh polling booths within all 403 assembly segments while adhering to the Covid protocol," he said. The campaigner will reach out to voters, including women and beneficiaries of different schemes, he said. The BJP's door-to-door campaign drew sharp criticism from the rivals.