In stadium and across UP, BJP’s show of strength takes centre stage

In stadium and across UP, BJP’s show of strength takes centre stage
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On March 19, 2017, Yogi Adityanath took oath as chief minister of Uttar Pradesh for the first time. The ceremony was significant, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had come to power after a 12-year gap.

The event was held in front of a small crowd at a rally ground called Smriti Upvan. Standing next to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then home minister Rajnath Singh, Adityanath smiled on stage, a bit unsure of himself. He had been declared chief minister just days before.

Five years later, on Friday, Adityanath took the oath again and as he stepped onto the dais, he was greeted by the roar of a 70,000-strong crowd packed into the Atal Bihari Vajpayee cricket stadium. For the rest of the ceremony, he sat on the stage, next to PM Modi, giant cutouts of them adorning every rafter. This time, behind the duo sat 16 Union ministers, and 11 chief ministers.

If 2017 brought the fledgling new signs of a man taking his first steps into political limelight, Friday’s event was a celebration of a now established force; a leader and a party sure of both, their present and future.

The stadium showed evidence of preparations for the event over many days. Strategically placed giant LED screens showcased a raucous crowd swathed in saffron, many carrying a bulldozer — now synonymous with Adityanath and his ‘hard on crime’ image — in some shape or form; a cap, a toy, a cutout.

Many in the crowd had made their way from across the state. Parminder Singh from instance, had left Kanpur early in the morning, determined to make it inside the gates. “Only disappointment was that nobody spoke. We expected some great speeches. Nevertheless, never before have I witnessed such a well organised and graceful oath-taking ceremony,” he said as he stepped out.

Lucknow too was decked up. The 16-km stretch from Chaudhary Charan Singh airport to the stadium was lined with thousands of flowerpots, posters and cutouts. Prayer ceremonies were held at 32 temples.

At the Loreto crossing near the VVIP guest house, Hukum Rana marveled at the pace at which decorations sprang up. “Since yesterday, I have been wondering how authorities worked so fast. There is hope they will sort out public grievances at this pace too,” he said.

Across towns, cities and villages, the BJP pulled out all the stops. Party workers distributed sweets and prayed before a bulldozer in Gorakhpur — Adityanath’s constituency and the seat of the Gorakhnath Mutt, which he heads.

In eastern UP, a special aarti was held at the Ganga gate of the Kashi Vishwanath Dham in Varanas. Rajesh Shukla, convener of Namami Gange project, said, “We prayed for the best future of the state under the leadership of Adityanath…”

In Mathura, there was the chanting of vedic hymns in 228 “shakti kendras”. Madhu Sharma, district president of the BJP said that this was done for an auspicious beginning. Hours later, that beginning was made with a show of strength.

 

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