UP assembly polls 2017: Will Yogi Adityanath be a new headache for BJP?

Adityanath is the only BJP candidate from UP who had campaigned for candidates of other NDA parties in 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Lucknow, Jan 28: Bharatiya Janata Party has been left red faced by Hindu Yuva Vahini an outfit that was founded by one of its star campaigners for Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath. HYV released its first list of six candidates from Kushinagar and Maharajganj districts, which come under Adityanath's sway. HYV is to contest from 64 seats in eastern UP.

The reasons listed by HYV for fielding independent candidates against BJP are:

1. BJP "insulted" its founder, who is head priest of the Gorakhnath temple and five-time Lok Sabha MP.
2. Adityanath was not declared as the chief ministerial face of BJP.
3. BJP also did not include him in election management committee.
4. Adityanath had given a list of 10 candidates of which BJP gave ticket to only two.
5. Adityanath has not been given a ministry in NDA government.
6. He was also ignored during BJP's Parivartan Yatra last year. His photograph was not on posters and banners of the yatra. BJP gave preference instead to Rajnath Singh, Keshav Prasad Maurya, Uma Bharti and Kalraj Mishra.

It is worth noting that HYV has not taken Adityanath's consent before it decided to field candidates said Sunil Singh, the outfit's state president. He went on to add that BJP has done some black magic on Adityanathji. That is the reason he said he has asked all units and workers to vote against BJP and campaign in favour of any non-BJP candidates who follows HYV's ideology.

Adityanath, meanwhile has remained silent on why HYV was fielding candidates on its own. HYV's list has candidates for Khadda, Kushinagar and Padrauna seats in Kushinagar district and Paniyara, Pharenda and Siswa in Maharajganj.

How has BJP treated Adityanath:

Adityanath is the only BJP candidate from UP who had campaigned for candidates of other NDA parties in 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Party had provided him with a helicopter to campaign. He had also led BJP's campaign in by-elections to 12 assembly seats.

BJP on its part is asking voters to ignore personal ambitions and has constantly maintained that HYV's candidates will have no bearing on prospects of BJP candidates. Party also maintained that people have faith on its leaders.

Chandra Mohan, BJP's UP spokesperson has said that. "BJP appeals to all those who want UP to be from SP and BSP, to ignore personal ambitions and support PM Narendra Modi.

OneIndia News