Beware of back stabbers: Yogi Adityanath

Virar: Launching a direct attack against its ally Shiv Sena, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Yogi Adityanath said on Wednesday that late Bal Thackeray would have been hurt seeing the way his party has indulged in backstabbing.

“I have immense respect for Balasaheb Thackeray. But his soul would have been hurt today seeing the behaviour of Shiv Sena. He never backstabbed his friends. He fought from the front,” said the UP CM addressing a public rally in Virar to campaign for the BJP’s candidate Rajendra Gavit for the May 28 Palghar Lok Sabha bypoll.

Claims on candidate

The Shiv Sena is contesting the bypoll independently and has fielded late BJP MP Chintaman Wanga’s son Shrinivas Wanga. Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis has said earlier that he had informed the Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray of his party’s decision to field a member of the Wanga family, despite which Sena acted in this manner.

Mr. Adityanath said on Wednesday, “I ask people to have no sympathy for those who take Shivaji Maharaj’s name but work like Afzal,” he said, without naming the Shiv Sena.

Mr. Adityanath said the example of Congress is there for everyone to see. It is a sign of God that Congress is out of the equation, he said. “Whoever opposed the BJP’s vision of development and good governance was reduced to dust. The people will ensure that whoever opposes the BJP will meet with the same fate,” he added.

Wooing the north

With Wednesday’s rally, the BJP hopes to make an impact on the sizeable north Indian community in the urban areas of Palghar constituency such as Nalasopara, Vasai and Virar. Incidentally, Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) which won three out of the six Assembly segments in the Palghar LS seat had garnered maximum votes from this area last time.

The UP CM appealed to people from north India to vote for BJP to counter lawlessness and goondaism, and ensure development.

BJP has decided to deploy leaders from Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Rajasthan in Palghar till May 28. Former Congress leader and now a minister in the U.P. cabinet, Rita Bahuguna-Joshi, was among those who were present at the rally today. Nine MLAs from UP are permanently stationed in here to ensure north Indian votes. Others who addressed the rally today included MLAs Sushil Singh, Avadhesh Singh, and minister Anil Rajbhar.

Smriti to campaign

On Thursday, Union minister Smriti Irani is scheduled to campaign in Dahanu. A team of BJP officials is stationed in Palghar to coordinate the election campaign. Corporators from Mumbai, and neighbouring Mira-Bhayander are being given specific responsibilities and have been asked to handle particular set of voters.

While concentrating on urban area, the BJP has lured Vivek Pandit of Shramajivi Sanghatana to work on tribal voters.