Uttar Pradesh BJP President dismisses Jantar Mantar protests as engineered Congress effort

NEW DELHI — Uttar Pradesh BJP President Pankaj Chaudhary has dismissed recent protests at Jantar Mantar as an engineered effort by the Congress to recover lost political ground, asserting the demonstrations lacked genuine backing from youths, SIR, or UGC issues.

The remarks come as opposition parties finalize preparations for a major demonstration scheduled at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on November 1. Organizers and security agencies hold sharply divergent projections for the event, with the Congress estimating an attendance of one million people. In contrast, Delhi Police have projected a turnout of 50,000 and announced plans to deploy at least 3,500 security personnel to maintain order.

The political sparring precedes upcoming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh next year, adding urgency to political maneuvering across the state.

The ruling party’s assertions follow recent electoral friction in the state. In the recent Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council (MLC) elections contested across 11 seats, the BJP secured six seats while the Samajwadi Party claimed five. Notably, the Samajwadi Party captured both seats in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s parliamentary constituency of Varanasi, as well as the Lucknow graduate seat.