Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath turns 48. (File pic)

Yogi Adityanath turns 48: Firebrand BJP leader and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is celebrating his birthday today. As the priest-turned-politician turns 48, birthday greetings are pouring in for the 22nd CM of the country’s most populous state.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted his party colleague and Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath in the morning on his birthday, saying under his leadership, the state is scaling new heights of progress.

“Birthday greetings to UP’s dynamic and industrious CM, Shri Yogi AdityanathJi. Under his leadership the state is scaling new heights of progress across all sectors,” he tweeted.

The Prime Minister also noted that there is a marked improvement in the lives of citizens. “May Almighty bless him with a long and healthy life,” he added.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president JP Nadda also extended greetings to Adityanath on his birthday.

“Greeting to UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on his birthday. He has not only proved himself as a hard working and efficient administrator, but also took the state (Uttar Pradesh) ahead on the path of development. I wish him good health and longevity,” Rajnath Singh tweeted.

“Birthday greeting to Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath. Your dedication towards good governance, law and order and welfare of the people in the state is highly appreciated. Under your leadership, the state continues on the path of development. I pray to god for your health and longevity,” Amit Shah tweeted.

BJP national president JP Nadda in a tweet appreciated Adityanath for his dedication and determination towards the development of Uttar Pradesh.

“Due to your skilled leadership, the state is on the path of development. I pray to God for your healthy and long life. Happy birthday,” Nadda tweeted.

CM Adityanath’s deputies Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma too extended greetings.

“Honorable Shri Yogi Adityanath ji, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, wishing you a very happy birthday. Praying to God for your health,” Maurya tweeted.

“Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is leading Uttar Pradesh on the path of progress. He is synonymous with good governance and development. Happy birthday to Yogi Adityanath ji. May your leadership touch new dimensions of progress,” Dinesh Sharma tweeted.

Adityanath was born on June 5, 1972. His birthday coincides with the World Environment Day which was first marked in 1974. The Chief Minister marks the day by planting saplings.

His real name is Ajay Singh Bisht and he was born in Panchur village in Pauri Garhwal, now in Uttarakhand. He left his home around the 1990s to join the Ayodhya Ram temple movement. Around that time, he came under the influence of Mahant Avaidyanath, the chief priest of the Gorakhnath Math and became his disciple. Subsequently, he was given the name Yogi Adityanath and designated as the successor of the Mahant Avaidyanath.

Adityanath was the youngest member of the 12th Lok Sabha at 26. He was elected to the Lok Saha from Gorakhpur for five consecutive terms in 1998, 1999, 2004, 2009 and 2014. He resigned from the Parliament after the BJP picked him to head the government following a massive win in the 2017 Assembly polls.