Yogi a liability for BJP in UP polls?

Ayodhya: Is Yogi Adityanath, the politically-savvy monk who took over as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh post the landslide victory of BJP in 2017 Assembly elections, a liability for the saffron party in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections? It looks like so going by the reaction of the people in the street in the country's biggest state with a population of over 20 crore.

"Yogi Adityanath is not able to steer the state in right direction. He is a monk. What does he know about the development and the problems that common people face? That way, he is a disappointment for us," Nannilal, a taxi owner-cum-driver, told The Hans India in Lucknow, the Uttar Pradesh's capital. He took to operating a taxi after his entire land was acquired for Lucknow airport "as compensation for land was meager at the time".

He, however, maintained that Narendra Modi as Prime Minister did a good job and took up several projects for the development of the state. "He launched welfare schemes like free houses, etc and developed roads in the state. I don't think Modi has done anything wrong. He is trying to do something for the country," he said.

Five-time BJP MP from Gorakhpur constituency in UP, Adityanath, also Mahant of Gorakhnath Mutt, was handpicked by Modi for the UP Chief Minister's post after BJP swept the Assembly elections in March 2017, winning 325 out of 403 seats. Adityanath was not even an MLA when he was chosen for the coveted post. He was later made MLC.

Ajeet Varma, a techie, also said that Adityanath had done nothing for the state so far. "His government has not launched any new project till now. Instead, it stopped several major projects launched in the past," he said.

According to him, the current Chief Minister failed to attract investments into the state. "His government organised UP Investors Summit a year ago, but the state is yet to receive any investments," he pointed out. "How can the state be developed without attracting new investments," he asked. Pandey, a manager in a private company in Ayodhya, also expressed his anguish over the disappointing performance of the Chief Minister. "

We expected him to take the state forward. But he did not do anything so far. He also did not announce any projects to develop Ayodhya," he said. However, some of the people that The Hans India interacted with, backed the Chief Minister. But their number is very small. "Yogi is very good leader. He brought down corruption. He is the first class Chief Minister," said Akilesh, a private employee, in Lucknow. Further, the UP Chief Minister has a good backing from the party.

"He is doing good work. Entire Uttar Pradesh was destroyed in the previous 15 years. It takes time to correct it and bring the state back on right track. People understand it," said Lallu Singh, BJP's sitting MP from Faizabad, who is now in fray for the second term. The ongoing 2019 General Elections are being held in seven phases in UP with last phase scheduled for May 19. The fifth phase will take place on May 6.