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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday kickstarted the BJP’s election campaign in Uttar Pradesh firmly backing Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, praising his management of Covid-19 second wave as also the various development works without “nepotism or corruption”.
In the State hit badly by the second wave of the novel coronavirus, Modi began repair work from his parliamentary constituency, Varanasi, by inaugurating the Japanese-funded Rudraksh Convention Centre along with other developmental projects worth over ₹1,583 crore. These include smart schools, residential flats for teachers, road over-bridges, multi-level parking lots, new wings and oxygen plants for hospitals.
The Prime Minister singled out the Chief Minister’s “management” and lavished him with praise at a time reports of Yogi Adityanath’s stand-off with the Centre had created a buzz in the State.
“When I talk of development works in UP, I cannot figure out what to mention and what should be left out. There is so much that is happening that this list will remain incomplete because I do not have enough time to mention each task that has been completed without corruption or nepotism,” said the PM.
‘Widespread benefits’
He said before Yogi Adityanath assumed charge as Chief Minister, the allocations from the Centre used to “get stuck in Lucknow. But Yogi-ji has worked hard to eliminate all bottlenecks and focused on development.”
The UP government has systematically targeted criminal elements allgedely associated with the Samajwadi Party (SP), especially Mukhtar Ansari who is currently lodged in Sabarmati jail in Gujarat and Atiq Ahmed, he said.
“Today, there is rule of law in UP. The mafias and terrorism has been rooted out,” said the PM.
More projects in pipeline
The focus on development will be magnified in the months to come with Modi expected to unveil the Poorvanchal Expressway around August 15 and the opening of the fertiliser plant in Gorakhpur and a unit of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). However, the ruling BJP mainstay in UP will remain religious consolidation behind Ramjanmabhoomi, the strict crackdown on anti-Citizenship (amendment) Act and the newly-launched Uttar Pradesh Population (Control, Stabilisation and Welfare) Bill, 2021 which rewards only those with up to two children with preference in government jobs and social security schemes.
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