Riding on UP CM Yogi Adityanath’s Popularity, BJP Gears Up to Retain Gorakhpur Seat

Lucknow: Riding on CM Yogi Adityanath’s popularity in Gorakhpur, the BJP is leaving no stone unturned to retain the eastern UP seat, with the chief minister set to address series of rallies in his hometown on Monday and Tuesday.

Adityanath, who was an MP from the city for five years, will address a public rally in Pipraich on Monday, following which he will attend a programme at Gorakhpur Club. The next day, he will attend a conference in Pipiganj, address public in Sahjanwa and interact with rural workers at Gorakhpur’s Indraprastha Lawn.

The UP CM will celebrate Holi in his hometown, and will resume with public meetings following the festival. The saffron party is making complete use of Adityanath’s popularity in his home turf to garner support for BJP candidate Upendra Shukla ahead of Gorakhpur byelections on March 11.

Recently, at a rally in Baghagada, Singh said that he would take forward Adityanath’s legacy by contesting and winning from the CM’s parliamentary seat. The Gorakhpur seat had to be vacated after Adityanath was sworn in as UP CM.

Born as Ajay Singh Bisht in Uttarakhand’s Panchur, Adityanath arrived in Gorakhpur in his twenties after he met Gorakhnath Temple mahant Avaidyanath in Rishikesh and was impressed by religious inclination and ideologies. The Uttarakhand boy came to the eastern UP city and became Avaidyanath’s disciple. Since then, Gorakhpur has been his hometown.

Over the years, Adityanath gained popularity in the region through his social work and public meetings held at Gorakhnath Temple. At a time when the city was mired in corruption with mafia bigwigs taking law into their hands, Adityanath’s ‘janta darbar’ became the seat of justice in Gorakhpur.

Now, with Adityanath in the state capital, Gorakhpur needs a strong leader to get people's issues across the Centre.

Upendra Shukla, a well-known face among Brahmin voters and party’s regional president, has been declared as BJP’s candidate. It is said that his selection is an attempt to woo Brahmin voters. Shukla has been associated with the BJP for quite some time and even tried to contest the assembly elections, but could not get a ticket at that time.