Lucknow: BJP national general secretary and Uttar Pradesh incharge Vinod Tawde’s visit to Lucknow on Thursday, his fifth to the state in less than a month after getting the charge, appears to be more than a routine organisational exercise.Tawde’s role is significant since he is considered as one of the key strategists of BJP’s win in Bihar polls last year.With UP Assembly elections just months away, Tawde is increasingly emerging as a key strategist tasked with sharpening the BJP’s organisational machinery and strengthening its electoral prospects against an aggressive opposition led by the Samajwadi Party and its ally Congress.Tawde signalled this approach from the outset. During his first visit to Lucknow on Sept 5, he reportedly advised party workers against putting up oversized hoardings or organising a grand welcome, sending a clear message that the focus should be on strengthening the organisation and preparing for the elections rather than on symbolism.The move was notable because it was in contrast to the elaborate receptions often accorded to senior BJP mmebers, including state party chief Pankaj Chaudhary, during their initial visits to Lucknow and other parts of Uttar Pradesh. The restraint reflected Tawde’s preference for a work-centric approach as the party gears up for the high-stakes electoral battle ahead.Sources said that in the Thursday meeting, Tawde expressed concern over the opposition’s PDA pitch which impacted BJP in 2024 Lok Sabha elections.A senior UP BJP member said the party is giving stress on mobilisation of workers at the grassroots and bolstering coordination between the organisation and govt. Tawde has been holding one-to-one discussions with organisational members and CM Yogi and deputy CMs Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak.During his second visit to Lucknow on Sept 11, where he was accompanied by national general secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh, Tawde held high-profile review meetings which were attended by Keshav Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, ministers and key organisational heads.Having done his ground work, Tawde embarked on a region-wise organisational assessment on Sept 17, beginning from Gorakhpur. Sources said he engaged with grassroots cadre and UP BJP politicians to assess legislators’ performance and collect feedback on potential candidates for the Assembly elections.Tawde accompanied BJP chief Nitin Nabin to Meerut and Saharanpur on Sept 21 and 22 where they held closed-door meetings with the regional leaders and party representatives, including MPs, MLAs and MLCs, in the west UP region.Tawde is next scheduled to participate in the high-level organisational meeting in Mathura on Oct 3 and 4.BJP sources said Tawde is trying to replicate Bihar poll model, which he spearheaded as the state in-charge since 2022, in UP elections. Tawde is recognised as one of the frontline organisational members who led NDA to win 30 out of 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar in the 2024 elections.The strategy was repeated in the 2025 Bihar assembly elections. A senior UP BJP member, who camped in Bihar during the assembly elections, said the strategy prioritised micro-management and grassroots alignment. Tawde is learnt to have made at least 15 visits to Bihar in the run-up to the state polls.
