Debate: Is it safe to field Yogi Adityanath as star campaigner in Karnataka ?
The BJP sent Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to Karnataka with a specific motive. Yogi was introduced in the state to push the saffron party's Hindutva idealogy. The other aim was to make Siddaramaiah respond to questions posed by Adityanath in his rallies, and to an extent it worked. Yogi made Siddaramaiah, who otherwise claims to be an atheist, say that "I am a Hindu too."
However, the humiliating defeat at Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha seats has taken the sheen off Yogi Aditynath's political image. Questions are now being asked if Yogi should focus more on his home turf rather than campaigning in other states.
In this context, will it work in favour of the BJP if they bring Yogi Aditynath back for campaigning in Karnataka? Does Yogi still have the same aura around him after thumping defeat in his own backyard? Will his words be taken seriously when he speaks about Karnataka's development, considering that his own state UP lags far behind?