Yogi spearheads slogan war as BJP aims to neutralise SP’s PDA plank

Lucknow: The BJP has ramped up the slogan war to counter the Opposition’s PDA plank as it looks to regain lost ground in the Uttar Pradesh assembly bypolls after the setback of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in the state.

Sharp rhetoric is also reverberating much beyond the borders of the state in assembly poll-bound Maharashtra and Jharkhand.

In this context, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s slogan “batenge toh katenge, ek rahengey to nek rahengey (will be slaughtered if divided, unity will make us worthy)” has come in handy for the BJP. The saffron brigade plans to play this slogan with full force in the nine Uttar Pradesh assembly constituencies in which bypolls are scheduled for November 20.

On the other hand, Opposition has accused the ruling party of playing the fear card in a bid to get votes.

Outside Uttar Pradesh, hoardings have been installed in Mumbai and other cities in Maharashtra with the slogan “batenge toh katenge”.

Adityanath also invoked Chhatrapati Shivaji at an election rally in Mahrasthra on Wednesday.

Shivaji united every Indian, he said, adding that it is from his inspiration that he often says, “batiye mat, jab bhi bate the toh kate the, ek hai to nek hai (Do not get divided, when we are divided, we were slaughtered, unity will ensure safety and strength).”

In Jharkhand on Tuesday, Adityanath called upon voters not be divided in the name of caste, region and language, emphasising that they should show their united strength in the assembly polls.

“If people remain united, the stone pelters would clear the roads for you and Bajrangi pataka (saffron flag) will proudly wave on every household,” he said.

The BJP cadre has been buoyed by the support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Yogi Adityanath’s slogan with the “‘Ek hai to safe hai” observation as well as Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ‘sarkaryawah’ (general secretary) Dattatreya Hosabale’s comment. Without mentioning the exact words of the “batenge toh katenge” slogan, Hosabale had said in Mathura last month, “We are not concerned with what the slogan said, but we agree with the spirit.”

To counter Yogi’s rhetoric, the Samajwadi Party came out with “judenge toh jitenge” (unity will bring us victory) slogan.

Hoardings were installed outside the Samajwadi Party office in this connection. They showed SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with the slogan “Na batenge na katenge ek hain aur ek rahengey (we are not divided nor will be slaughtered, we are united and will remain so)”. Another slogan read: “Ganga -Jamuna tehzeeb ko na hi batne denge na hi samaj ki ekta ko katene denge (Neither our culture nor our society will be divided).”

As the bypoll battle kicked up dust, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said, “The katenge- batenge slogan has been given out of fear of the increasing power of PDA. We know in which lab this slogan was prepared. Then, they looked for a suitable face and pushed CM Yogi in front. This time, PDA will connect people and win the election. The BJP is scared of the increasing power of PDA,” he said.

For his part, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi remarked, “Earlier Yogi Adityanath said “thok denge” and now it’s “batenge to katenge” when he’s the one dividing people. Under the BJP government, Muslim homes were being demolished with bulldozers and now Yogi is playing the slogan to scare people.”

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati hit out at both the BJP and the SP for coming out with divisive slogans. She said both the parties and their alliances were upset following the BSP’s decision to contest the by-elections.

Mayawati said these slogans were only diversionary tactics.

“BSP se judenge to aage badhenge va surakshit rahenge (If you join hands with the BSP there will be progress),” she said.

Even during the 2024 Lok Sabha election campaign in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP had unleashed an arsenal of slogans as it was pitted against the Samajwadi Party’s PDA formula.

Some of the slogans that rent the air then included “mafia ko mitti mein mila dengey (mafia will bite dust)”, “bulldozer is the best treatment for the mafia”, “the INDIA bloc wants Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s soul to come alive”, “Sharia law will be implemented and jiziya tax will be imposed”.

On the other hand, the PDA or Pichada (backwards), Dalits and Alpsankhyaks (Muslims) formula of the SP paved the way for the Opposition INDIA bloc’s victory in Uttar Pradesh. The Samajwadi Party emerged as the singe-largest party in the state as it won 37 Lok Sabha seats. The BJP’s Lok Sabha tally in U.P. was reduced to 33 in 2024 from 62 in 2019 and 71 in 2014.