The choice of Yogi Adityanath as the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister surprised many who had predicted that BJP leaders like Manoj Sinha or Keshav Prasad Maurya would take over the post. Some experts even couldn’t understand why on earth someone like Prime Minister Narendra Modi or BJP President Amit Shah would do a blunder, if it was one, by selecting Yogi, when they had received the entire state on a platter. The truth was that Yogi wasn’t Modi’s or Shah’s blunder but a strategic decision that will probably help BJP in the long run, not just in UP but in other states also.
Here are five reasons to explain why the Goraknath Mutt chief was the best BJP man for the CM job in Uttar Pradesh for Modi and Shah:
1. Apart from Yogi, there was no BJP leader who could command respect of all members of the party in UP
By the virtue of being a ‘sadhu’, Yogi Adityanath is respected by all BJP members. Most of them even touch his feet to seek blessing. The sainthood credentials of Yogi put him on a higher pedestal when compared to other BJP leaders. The saffron party leaders are driven by an ideology that warrants high regards for men who remain bachelors and live a spartan life. Yogi, in this regard, shares a lot of similarity with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this regard.
2. Yogi Adityanath easily solves the big caste-puzzle that even a poll strategist like Prashant Kishor failed to crack for Congress-SP
Yogi Adityanath heads a Mutt that is famous for not following the Hindu caste order. Members of any caste can become a priest at Gorakhnath Mutt which has a large number of Yadav followers across the state. Scores of UP residents belonging to backward castes follow Yogi and the Mutt. If successful once, Yogi may never need a strategist like Amit Shah or Prashant Kishor to get votes of a different caste. He has the potential to unite all under the same umbrella of ‘Hindutva’.
Also Read:” Yogi Adityanath wins hearts in Parliament, shows why he is meant for a long run in politics: 10 things he said
3. In a state infamous for law and order, a soft face cannot keep goonda elements in check for long. Yogi can.
Soft CM faces don’t work in UP. Ex-CM Akhilesh Yadav started several good schemes but could not control goonda elements and the mafia. In contrast, his predecessor Mayawati was more successful in maintaining law and order because of her image as a tough administrator. What to say about Yogi? He likes to reply in the language people want to listen.
4. It pays to have your own army of followers
Yogi’s strength comes from the army of his followers, named as Hindu Yuva Vahini, spread across Uttar Pradesh. With the support of RSS and volunteers of other Hindu groups, who would naturally gather around him, Yogi can become an unbeatable political force for the BJP.
5. Yogi shuns hypocrisy openly and speaks what he feels right. The time has come when more people are liking such leaders
Yogi has never been in two minds to say what he believes in. This is the reason, his followers have increased over the years, unlike other politicians who cannot be easily judged.