Lucknow: After a humiliating by-poll defeat, Uttar Pradesh chief minister has come under attack from his own colleagues. While Yogi Adityanath congratulated the opposition on their victory, calling BJP’s overconfidence their ignorance towards the coalition. A constituency that Adityanath held for around a decade, had turned the saffron colour pale through the by-polls.
When Adityanath was himself looked distressed over the “unexpected results”, prominent OBC leader and former BJP MP Ramakant Yadav attributed the loss to the “anti-Dalit and OBC attitude” of the state government, as per a report of Deccan Herald .
“The state government has turned a blind eye to the interests of the Dalits and OBCs…it cost us the by-elections,” said Yadav, who had contested against Samajwadi Party (SP) patron Mulayam Singh Yadav from Azamgarh seat in 2014 LS polls and lost by a small margin. “We are certain to lose heavily in 2019 if corrective measures are not taken,” Yadav told reporters in Azamgarh.
Another senior state BJP member sought to corner Adityanath over the defeat and said that those affiliated with the Gorakhpur based Gorakhnath Temple did not want the seat to be won by someone, who had no connection with the ‘Mutt’. Adityanath is the ‘mahant’ (religious head) of the Gorakshpeeth. He also said that the Adityanath founded ‘Hindu Yuva Vahini’ did not actively campaign to ensure BJP’s victory.
