Firebrand BJP leader and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday filed his nomination papers from the Gorakhpur Sadar seat. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Minister and election in-charge for UP Dharmendra Pradhan, party's state unit president Swatantra Dev Singh, Nishad Party chief Sanjay Nishad and several BJP leaders and supporters including those from Apna Dal (S) accompanied Adityanath in a mega show of strength.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah while addressing an election meeting ahead of nomination filing, lauded CM Adityanath, saying he has freed Uttar Pradesh of mafias by establishing rule of law in the true sense after 25 years. The opposition alliance, he said, had lost to the BJP in Uttar Pradesh previously and would be defeated again.
"Mafia is seen at only 3 places in UP now - they are either in jail or outside UP or they appear in the candidate list of SP. Mafia used to rule UP, police was scared of them. Today, mafia walks up to the police station to surrender," the Home Minister said.
Coining the slogan 'ek baar phir se 300 paar (once more 300+ seats), Shah urged the people of the state to re-elect the BJP to power and Adityanath as the Chief Minister.
Yogi Adityanath's Affidavit
"BJP is going to repeat the history in UP. In 2014, 2017 and 2019 polls, people of UP chose the development under the leadership of PM Modi and gave absolute majority. Today with CM Yogi filing nomination, BJP is marching ahead with resolve of 300 paar," the Minister said. She in his address also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking special care of development particularly of the Purvanchal region.
Yogi Adityanath is running for MLA for the first time. Gorakhpur Sadar is considered to be his stronghold. Adityanath won parliamentary elections for a record five terms since 1998 from Gorakhpur. He had to resign in 2017 after he was made the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. He was then elected to the Legislative Council.
Gorakhpur Sadar will go to the polls on March 3 during the sixth phase of elections in the state. The results will be declared on March 10.
Bhim Army's Chandra Shekhar has announced that he will contest against Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The lawyer-turned-activist had co-founded the Dalit rights outfit Bhim Army and he is its national president. He launched the ASP (K) in March 2020 and is the party president. The Samajwadi Party is yet to announce its candidate.
READ MORE: Bhim Army's Chandra Shekhar Azad to challenge CM Yogi Adityanath in Gorakhpur
