LUCKNOW: Leading the BJP campaign for the second phase of Uttar Pradesh Urban Local Body polls, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday appealed to people to ensure the victory of the BJP mayor and ward candidates in view of the developmental works being carried out.
After holding public rallies at Barabanki and Mirzapur, the CM wrapped up the day at Ayodhya where he exhorted the saints, intellectuals and BJP office-bearers to support BJP candidate contesting mayor poll in the temple town.
Calling upon the people of Ayodhya to support the BJP candidate for the mayor post, he claimed that if those who had ordered firing on Ram devotees would be brought to power, it would send across a wrong message. “If a Ram devotee wins from Ayodhya in this festival of democracy, it will leave a positive message behind,” Yogi told a gathering of saints, seers and intellectuals during his second visit to the temple town in last one week, on Monday.
Yogi was referring to the action of late Mulayam Singh Yadav as UP CM on October 30, 1990 when he had ordered firing at kar sewaks who had assembled in Ayodhya anticipating the culmination of LK Advani-led Rath Yatra in support of temple. However, Advani was arrested in Bihar by the then Lalu Yadav government.
In Barabanki, the CM slammed SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and said, “His statement is an insult to six crore voters who live in urban areas and exercise their right to elect the local body. Rather, this is an election to clean the garbage, filth and anarchy of SP-BSP,” he said. He accused the opposition comprising SP, BSP and Congress of following a policy of appeasement and divide the society on caste lines.
In Mirzapur, the carpet hub of UP, Yogi said dynasts created obstacles in the way of development as they were more interested in swindling off the funds meant for welfare schemes for the poor.