BJP wants to make local bodies powerful, answerable: Adityanath

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wants to make local bodies powerful and answerable, said Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday.

"The state government is taking interest in the local body elections because it wants to better the lives of the people. The BJP wants to make local bodies more powerful and answerable too," Adityanath said while addressing a public rally here.

He further said, "The local bodies have a big role in providing basic services to people. Erstwhile state governments of Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party did not allow the BJP-ruled local bodies to function properly during the last 15 years."

He also praised Kannauj by saying that it has special importance for BJP, as it was the land of late BJP leader Ram Prakash Tripathi.

"His journey from a small village to Lucknow inspires people," said Adityanath.

The chief minister also said that BJP would be visible across India very soon.

"The BJP is ruling 80 percent of India. Indications are that after the conclusion of upcoming assembly elections, the BJP would be visible everywhere. This has become possible not only due to an able party leadership but millions of party workers," the chief minister asserted.

"The BJP will retain power in Gujarat and make a comeback in Himachal Pradesh. No force can stop the BJP from assuming power in Karnataka, Odisha and West Bengal," Adityanath said.

Uttar Pradesh's 652 urban local bodies are going for elections. The first phase has ended on Wednesday. Polling for the second phase is on November 24 and third phase on November 29.