Yogi scores double century of rallies in UP polls

Lucknow

Yogi Adityanath, the Hindutva poster boy and Uttar Pradesh (UP) chief minister (CM), has scored a double century in terms of high-decibel rallies and roadshows in support of ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates in the state Assembly elections.

Adityanath, who was the most sought-after star campaigner not only for the saffron party but for pre-poll allies Apna Dal (Sonelal) and Nishad Party too, addressed more than 200 rallies and roadshows in about six weeks of hectic canvassing from January 21 to March 5.

On several days, the UP CM addressed 6-7 rallies and held roadshows across different Assembly constituencies of 403 segments in 75 districts.

The campaigning in UP concluded on Saturday for the final and seventh phase of polling on March 10 that will encompass 54 segments in nine districts, viz. Azamgarh, Mau, Ghazipur, Jaunpur, Chandauli, Varanasi, Bhadohi, Mirzapur and Sonbhadra.

In fact, Adityanath, who is himself a candidate from the Gorakhpur Urban constituency, campaigned for BJP in neighbouring Uttarakhand as well.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is BJP’s biggest mascot, addressed about 28 rallies and roadshows in UP, covering all the regions including Western UP, Central UP (Awadh), Bundelkhand, Ruhelkhand and Purvanchal (Eastern UP).

Similarly, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda addressed more than 60 and 40 rallies and roadshows in the country’s most populous state during whirlwind campaigning.

Although assembly polls were concurrently held in four other states, including Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur as well, UP gained the maximum traction among the major political parties, given its prominence in the national political firmament.

In the first six phases of the 2022 UP polls, the state witnessed an average polling percentage of almost 60 per cent. There are nearly 150 million people who are eligible to cast their votes in UP.

The UP Assembly elections have been scheduled in seven rounds, viz. Feb 10, 14, 20, 23, 27 and March 3 and 7. The counting of votes will be done on March 10.

Meanwhile, UP deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya also scored a century in terms of election rallies and roadshows. He is contesting from Sirathu in Kaushambi district, which is a major Buddhist tourist site.