Swearing-in Ceremony of Yogi Adityanath, BJP plans mega event with eyes on 2024

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to attend the event at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Stadium, sources in the BJP said that invitation has been sent to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and all the Union ministers and chief ministers of BJP-ruled states in the country.

However, Bhagwat is unlikely to attend the event. “He usually doesn’t take part in swearing-in ceremonies in the states. Though Bhagwat will be in UP on Friday, he has pre-scheduled programmes in Varanasi,” a BJP leader said.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda along with all central office-bearers of the party’s central body will also be present in the ceremony.

On Wednesday evening, a day before the BJP legislature party meeting in Lucknow, Adityanath flew to Delhi to meet BJP national president JP Nadda. Sources said that the meeting was over the government formation.

Amit Shah will reach Lucknow on Thursday to oversee the meeting of the legislature party, where the newly elected MLAs are expected to formally elect Adityanath as their leader. Shah will be present in the meeting as central observer of the party. Soon after the meeting, Adityanath will meet Governor Anandiben Patel and stake the claim to form the government.

The BJP has also sent invitations to leaders of opposition parties, and its allies in UP and other states, the source said.

“Invitations have been also sent to industrialists from across the country and recipients of Padma awards. All the prominent religious gurus like dharmacharyas and sants from across the country have been invited. Their presence will send a message that the BJP government has the support of all the sections of the society,” a BJP leader said, adding that at least 100 party workers from each Assembly constituency will attend the ceremony.

Those constituencies falling within a 200-km radius of Lucknow will send at least 500 workers to the event. In Lucknow, all the crossings will be decorated with flowers and lights. The stretch from the airport to the stadium and from the stadium to BJP state headquarters will also be decorated and illuminated.

“Around 1,500 BJP workers, including 650 women from other states who had worked in UP during the elections, have been invited to honour their contribution. The party is taking care of their travel and stay. Likewise, over 353 vistaraks who camped in constituencies during the polls, too have been invited to the event,” a party functionary said.

Before leaving for Lucknow to attend the ceremony, BJP workers will perform pujas and jalabhishek at over 27,000 temples across the state, the BJP functionary added.