Battle of slogans intensifies as U.P. byelections draw nigh 

The SP has claimed that its slogan ‘judenge toh jeetenge’ is a counter to the BJP’s negative slogannering

Catchy slogans are abound in Uttar Pradesh in the run up to byelections on nine Assembly seats with the Samajwadi Party (SP) pushing a poster with the slogan ‘judenge toh jeetenge’ (united we will win) in response to the earlier “divisive” slogan by the Bharatiya Janata Party.

In recent past, U.P. CM Yogi Adityanath had employed the expression “batenge toh katenge” , which critics felt called for unity among Hindus along communal lines.

The SP leadership has claimed that its slogan is a counter to the BJP’s divisive slogan and that the byelection will be a test for whose narrative was more successful. Vijay Pratap Yadav, a State secretary of the SP put up the poster with the slogan at various locations in Lucknow. “As is the viewpoint of the person, so is his slogan,” Akhilesh Yadav posted on X, sharing the posters. 

The nine Assembly segments going for byelections are Katehri in Ambedkar Nagar, Kundarki in Moradabad, Ghaziabad in Ghaziabad, Majhwan in Mirzapur, Sisamau in Kanpur, Karhal in Mainpuri district, Khair in Aligarh, Phulpur in Prayagrah and Meerapur in Muzaffarnagar district. 

In recent times, Mr. Adityanath continuously used the “batenge” slogan, pushing for a broader unity among Hindus while referring to the recent developments in Bangladesh and elsewhere. The U.P. CM’s comments are seen in the context of alleged persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh after the regime change in August this year. Soon after the U.P. CM made the controversial comments, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh came to his defence asserting that unity in Hindu society was essential for national interest and public welfare. In response the SP pushed its slogan calling from positive politics against what they described as negative agenda of the U.P. CM. 

“Our [SP] slogan and agenda are about positive and constructive politics aimed at bringing peace and love in society against the divisive and negative politics practiced by the BJP. Our core idea of PDA [pichada, Dalit, and alpasankhyak] also calls for unity in society. In the byelections the positive agenda of the SP will triumph over the negative agenda of the BJP,” SP spokesperson Sunil Singh Yadav ‘Sajan’ said. 

The BJP also claimed that its slogan is about a broader social unity and is aimed at constructive politics. “New slogans always comes with time, we envisaged ‘sabka saath, sabka vikas’. Yogi ji used the slogan ‘batenge toh katenge’ as a call for broader unity. This has forced parties like SP, which divided the society and looked for development of a few, make up new slogans. Rest assured, they will not succeed,” Rakesh Tripathi, the U.P. BJP spokesperson, said.

Published - November 01, 2024 09:49 pm IST