Backed by RSS, Yogi Adityanath emerges stronger within the BJP

New Delhi: Despite being targeted by a section of senior leaders within the Bharatiya Janata Party over the past several months, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has apparently emerged stronger and his stature is seemingly growing within the saffron unit. 

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is understood to have nudged the BJP to include Yogi in all important political and strategic meetings of the top leadership being held in the future.

Ever since the instruction of the RSS, the ideological parent of the BJP, the frequency of visits by the Uttar Pradesh CM to the national capital has increased. 

Being the Chief Minister of the country’s electorally most significant state, which had been contributing to saffron outfits growth over the past ten years, the Sangh has reportedly asked the BJP to accord proper stature to Yogi. 

The RSS is understood to have asked Yogi to be present in all discussions related to the appointment of a new working president for the BJP, one of the most important political decisions after the 2024 Lok Sabha polls likely to be taken over the next few weeks, sources said.

Sources pointed out that Yogi has visited New Delhi at least half a dozen times during the past few weeks to participate in various meetings related to political and electoral strategy. 

The UP CM is also currently in the city, where he is holding parleys with top BJP leadership, Sangh representatives and state leaders for the forthcoming Assembly by-polls.

Yogi is understood to have been given a free hand in the selection of candidates, for the 10 assembly seats that are scheduled to go for by-polls in the state.

This is starkly in contrast to the time when the section of top BJP leadership had vetoed the list of candidates from UP for the Lok Sabha polls that was submitted by Yogi and preferred to field their own chosen leaders.

NewsDrum had earlier reported that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had to intervene to bring the Sangh back on board after a slew of misunderstandings between the two outfits, causing a loss of face in the recent general elections.

The PM's involvement also became necessary after allegations that attempts were being made to sideline Yogi Adityanath. 

The Sangh, through the latest move towards the inclusion of Yogi in all important meetings, has sent a clear message to the BJP that the presence of a saffron-robed monk is needed to retain Uttar Pradesh and to stop the onward march of Samajwadi Party in the state.

Uttar Pradesh is electorally the most important state in the country as it elects 80 MPs to the lower house of Parliament.

Uttar Pradesh has been electing the largest number of BJP MPs to the Lok Sabha in 2014 and 2019. But BJP's 2024 performance wasn't up to the mark.

The 2024 fiasco was blamed on bad ticket distribution, not keeping Yogi on board with political strategy and lack of coordination between the RSS and BJP. 
The Sangh has now tried to ensure that such an attempt by a section of top BJP leaders is thwarted in the future.

Moreover, the RSS has also ensured that Yogi plays a key role in forthcoming Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls and the states of Maharashtra and Jharkhand which are likely to see elections later this year. 

Apart from being a key strategist for the BJP, Yogi is also expected to be roped in as one of the most important star campaigners in these elections.