Yogi Adityanth was elected leader of the Uttar Pradesh BJP legislature party on Thursday in a unanimous vote and is all set to take oath on Friday in a ceremony in Lucknow to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and significantly, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as well as Chief Ministers of BJP–ruled States.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah and former Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das, appointed central observers for the legislature party meet were present as the announcement was made, after a resolution proposing Mr. Adityanath as the leader of the legislature party was moved by Suresh Khanna, nine–time MLA from Sanjhapur, and supported by many other MLAs.
Chief Minister–elect Yogi Adityanath made an emotional address to the legislature party after his election, terming Prime Miniser Narendra Modi and Mr. Shah as ‘abhibhavaks’ (parent–like figures) who guided him in his tenure.
“This is the first time in the history of Uttar Pradesh that a Chief Minister, having served for five years, is brought back to the helm by his party. It has been possible because of the guidance and charismatic leadership of Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) and the foundation of organisational strength laid by Mr. Shah when he was in–charge of Uttar Pradesh and party president.
“Due to the programmes drawn up for the welfare of the people by the Central government that were so carefully inplemented in the State since 2017, a good atmoshere for security, social welfare without discrimination we got the mandate of 2022, despite egregious attacks against us. When I became Chief Minister, I had no adminisrative experience, I was not even MLA, but like a parent, Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah told me that governing U.P. was a mission and guided me in this.
“Our team work happened under the mentoring by Prime Minister Modi. Otherwise as an MP I could put my issues in Parliament but how to run an administration, implement policies and programmes in the entire State was a big responsibility. Every little detail from time to time was gone over with us. For the first time in U.P., it was seen that the State could be riot free, that free ration could be distributed to beneficiaries without leakages, that festivals could be celebrated in a sense of security,” he said.
He said his second tenure had newer challenges and responsibilities. "Last time it was to bring the State from kushashan [bad governance] to sushasan [good governance], now we have to bring in more sushasan.
Mr. Shah said "for many years U.P. had been the centre of political instability and post–Independence, there was a scatter of ideologies and values, with the result that casteist and dynastic parties kept growing." He said it was after 2014, after announcement that Prime Minister Modi was the candidate for the top job, that a "wave of hope" ran through U.P. that development and good governance could be possible in the State.
