Adityanath's Tripura connection: Here's why BJP roped in UP CM as star campaigner

NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was selected as a star campaigner for Tripura Assembly elections by the BJP. The saffron-clad leader was roped in to woo the voters of the Nath community which constitutes around 35 per cent of the total population of the state. "Reached Tripura on my two days visit to campaign across the state. Looking forward to addressing the election rallies," Adityanath tweeted on Monday.

Addressed a huge gathering in a public meeting in Jubrajnagar, Tripura. #TripuraTrustsBJP pic.twitter.com/MbM6kwsVxb

— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) February 12, 2018

Adityanath is the chief priest of the Gorakhnath peeth, which is the prime 'peeth' of the Nath community. Also, there are two main temples of the Gorakshanath peeth in Tripura: one in capital Agartala and other in Dharmanagar. During his visit, Adityanath will visit and offer prayers at these temples to attract the voters. Though Adityanath avoided a question posed to him on the Nath community in Tripura but said that the entire Tripura would vote for the BJP in the upcoming elections. He slammed the ruling Left Front for its "poor governance" and alleged that the common people of the state, who were not associated with the ruling party, were being deprived of the benefits of the Prime Minister Awas Yojana.

I thank people of Tripura for their massive support and affection during my Road show from Dharmanagar to Jubrajnagar. #TripuraTrustsBJP pic.twitter.com/IYBHg9QMud — Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) February 12, 2018

"The people of Tripura are being deprived of the basic amenities. The communist government here does not provide the poor people with any opportunity to be self-reliant. Why should the people keep them for such a long period in power? The Marxists must be ousted," PTI quoted the BJP leader as saying. Adityanath also led a 10-km roadshow in Dharmanagar town, the headquarters of North Tripura district. The roadshow ended at the Gorakshanath temple at Padmapukur, where the Uttar Pradesh chief minister performed a "puja". The saffron party is contesting the February 18 polls in alliance with the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT). The results of the polls will be declared on March 3, along with the results of the Meghalaya and Nagaland Assembly elections.