Page 23 - Tehelka-May18

Politics

Is Yogi Adityanath BJP’s time only Ram can save us (Ab Ramji nataka after a hectic campaigning politics. His twin designations as
“Yogi is a blend of religion and
karege beda paar). He feels, “The al-
schedule, an untiring Yogi Adity-
the head priest of Gorakhnath tem-
anath readily reached Ayodhya to
liance between Samajwadi and
master card for 2019? Bahujan Samaj Party could adverse- welcome 66 passengers from Nepal ple and that of UP CM are handy in
ly jeopardise BJP prospects to come
by the new bus service. They were
convincing the masses that Hindu-
back to power.” That is why BJP
given warm welcome on the banks
tva and development are one,” said
must realign its strategy to focus on
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad
the RSS background.
the core agenda of “Hindutva” that of the river Saryu. Chandramohan, a BJP leader with
RSS ideologues and a larger
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is emerging as a not-so-secret weapon flourished its prospects to power in (VHP) organises a ‘Ram Barat’ (mar- circle in BJP strongly feel that as a
22 states.
riage procession) from Ayodhya
of the Bharatiya Janata Party in run-up to the upcoming parliamentary elections Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Nepal every year to recreate the measure of last resort, Yogi Adity-
and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adity- route taken by Ram to Janakpur, anath will be the best bet who can
in India, writes mudit mathur
anath are working together in a co- where Sita won him as her husband, carry forward the baton of Hin-
he saffron-clad head include a soft hint of Hindutva to polarise voters.
priest of Gorakhnath ideology. Here is the excerpt of his BJP skillfully used his religious
Mutt and Chief Minister speech that he delivered in Karna- metaphor throughout the cam-
of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi taka, “While Ram was born in Uttar paign that had stopovers at various
T Adityanath, has emerged Pradesh he found his most trusted temples and mutts, many of which
as a champion of “Hindutva” across loyalist ‘Hanuman’ in Karnataka,” were connected with the CM’s Nath
the country. The Rashtriya Swayam By blending the Ram and Karnataka sect. The party methodically organ-
Sevak Sangh(RSS), has excessively elements, he attempted to make di- ised his public meetings in coastal
trusted his art of master oratory rect connections with the masses. areas of the State that was the
and exceptional potential of influ- “By mentioning religion and talk- stronghold of Congress and Karna-
encing targeted Hindu masses in ing of our great ancient heritage, he taka chief minister Siddaramaiah.
the electioneering of other states. “Karnataka’s influential Lingayat
Now, the BJP seems to be using Yogi and Vokkaligas communities have
as its ‘Brahmastra’ in the run-up to The saffron party great faith in these mutts which is
the 2019 general election, making the reason why the BJP roped in
sure the high profile star campaign- is making sure Yogi for Karnataka poll campaign,”
er is deployed to places where even the high profile said political analyst professor
the party’s chief orator, PM Naren- Harshvardhan.
dra Modi, is failing to make his pres- star campaigner is The reflections of the upcom-
ence count. deployed to places ing 2019 parliamentary elections
Campaigning for BJP in Gujarat, are quite visible behind the series
Himachal, Telangana, Tripura and where even the of actions aimed at giving politi-
recently held Karnataka elections, party’s chief orator, cal impetus to the BJP’s strategy
Yogi delivered dividends to the to revoke the ‘Ram Temple’ issue
utmost satisfaction of BJP’s top PM Narendra Modi, once again. Meanwhile, the party
strategists who identified pock- is failing to make his is calculating its moves while it
ets where the clout of his religious awaits the Supreme Court of In-
‘Nath sect’ following have to be presence count dia’s judgement on the Ayodhya
galvanised into its fold. Being head title suits. BJP plans to use it in a big • leading herent manner to compliment and according to the “Ramayana”. dutva in the upcoming assemblies
priest of the Gorakhpur-based way once again to give momentum from the front supplement each other by acting on By taking an active interest in the and parliamentary elections in
Gorakhnath temple, named after tried to bridge the geographical and to the sidelined Ram Temple move- Yogi has a well-scripted plan. PM Modi land- development of Ayodhya, the Chief 2019, especially with ‘Modi Magic’
Guru Goraksh Nāth, famous all linguistic divide between North and ment. This time Sabka Sath Sabka delivered ed in Janakpur, revered as the birth- Minister Adityanath has only reiter- diminishing compared to his peak
over India as a distinguished saint South (Karnataka),” explained his Vikas (Collective efforts, Inclusive dividends to place of Sita, and along with Nepal ated BJP’s commitment to building of popularity in 2014. “It would
of Nath sect, Yogi is the most sought media adviser, Mrityunjay Kumar, Growth) could not be a hit slogan as the utmost Prime Minister KP Oli and inaugu- Ram temple. A BJP leader said the not be surprising if Yogi, having a
BJP chief minister for election ral- who accompanied him during his on performance front people seem satisfaction rated a direct bus service between bus service would not just help in clean image and mounting follow-
lies out of 22 BJP ruled states. In trail. Campaigning at the commu- to be unsatisfied and small and me- of BJP’s top Janakpur and Ayodhya as part of a cementing the bond between Nepal ing among his ranks and file, could
contrast, other BJP chief ministers nally sensitive Murdeshwar and dium traders, farmers, labours and strategists ‘Ramayan Circuit’ to promote reli- and India, but also restate the par- emerge an alternative choice of
have been hardly visible in election Kumta towns of the coastal district working classes have been facing gious tourism. He also extended a ty’s commitment to Hindutva. A RSS the mentors for the top leadership,”
campaigns or had very little role as- Uttara Kannada, he targeted Karna- undue hardships,” said businessman Rs 1 billion aid to Nepal to develop leader on condition of anonymity commented a party functionary.
signed to them. taka chief minister Siddaramaiah Vimal Gupta, who had been a strong Sita’s birthplace, Janakpur. said the narrative is likely to grow
Most of Yogi’s election speeches for protecting ‘Jihadis’ in his rhetoric supporter of BJP. He hoped that this Having come back from Kar- further as 2019 nears. letters@tehelka.com

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