PM to call 20 BJP MLAs for ground report on UP

LUCKNOW: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be calling 20 party MLAs on their phone for a ground report from the state, even as BJP national president Amit Shah will be here on Wednesday, meeting UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath, two deputy chief ministers and office-bearers of the party.
"11 baje se 2 baje tak apne mobile phone on rakhe, pradhan mantri ji aapse baat kar sakte hain," (Remain accessible on your mobile phone between 11 am and 2 pm, the Prime Minister may call you on your mobile phone)," said an alert from BJP headquarters to all 311 BJP MLAs.

The Prime Minister wants to seek direct feedback on the state of affairs in UP in the last one month and the progress in implementation of the government's plans and programmes, revealed a senior functionary of the BJP.

This is first time when the prime minister will be interacting with the Uttar Pradesh MLAs in this manner.

The Prime Minister's intervention at the level of MLAs also highlights the seriousness of the BJP high command in controlling the damage done to the state government's image in the last one month, since the party lost both the byelections in Gorakhpur and Phulpur.

While Modi will be on line with the MLAs, Shah will spend six hours at 5, Kalidas Marg, official residence of the chief minister, where he would meet both deputy chief ministers and ministers.

In the evening, Shah is expected to meet party functionaries and then fly back to Bangalore.