It’s been only 9 months, since he has assumed the post of the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, but Yogi Adityanath, has now stepped into national politics. A dedicated nationalist from the start, Yogi Adityanath is now giving nightmares to both the opposition leaders and established political pundits, with his brilliant display of effective administration and flawless campaigning at the same time, the fruits of which were visible in the recently concluded UP municipal elections and the Gujarat state legislative assembly elections.
In his latest attempt to get another brilliant campaign going for BJP’s electoral success in 2018, Yogi Adityanath has went out all guns blazing against the incumbent Chief Minister of the state of Karnataka , accusing him of overt minority appeasement and a complete apathy to the subjects of administration and law and order. To quote him, “…….It is unfortunate that the the Congress, instead of worshipping Hanuman and Vijayanagar, was worshiping Tipu Sultan… If Karnataka dismisses Congress in one go, no one else will come to worship Tipu Sultan”.
Yogi Adityanath accused the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government of neglecting law and order in the state, saying the “brutal killings” of BJP workers signify a “state of anarchy”.
In reply, Siddaramaiah hit back with the usual rhetoric of Yogi being a communal leader attempting to incite hatred and anarchy, accusing him of resorting to ‘Jungle Raj’ to maintain his supremacy over the state of Uttar Pradesh. Joining him in support, National Award winning actor and popular Bollywood villain Prakash Raj resorted to cheap tactics, spreading rumor that Yogi Adityanath is issuing an order of a blanket ban on celebrating Tipu Jayanthi, which misfired, thanks to his own errors, which included typing errors and fake images of top BJP leaders allegedly celebrating Tipu Jayanthi, whereas they were actually photos of the leaders attending Iftaar parties in the past.
What many people are unable to comprehend, through this episode, is the unprecedented rise of Yogi Adityanath as a nationalist leader. The recent spate of attacks that have been launched against Siddharamiah have a huge potential for BJP, which can be further used for their political Renaissance in South India, especially in the state of Karnataka, which is up for elections in 2018. Following are a few strong reasons why Yogi’s war of words against Siddaramaiah can be the best trump card BJP can ever hope for:-
An aggressive start to Mission Karnataka:-
Nothing can be a better start for BJP’s mission Karnataka than a swift and relentless attack by Yogi Adityanath. Like Himanta Biswa Sarma turned the tables on Congress hopes in the North East, Yogi Adityanath has caught Siddaramaiah on the wrong foot, forcing him to shift his goalposts instead of hitting Yogi back with a suitable and logical retort, based on hard facts.
Instead of capitalizing on his own image of an apparently development oriented Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah is attempting to enter the Hindutva arcade, a region Yogi only knows too well, like a lion knows his abode. If Yogi Adityanath continues with his scathing attacks, and some brilliant retorts to the counter attacks launched by both CM Siddaramaiah and his cronies, the Mission 150 that is aimed at winning 150 out of 224 assembly seats in Karnataka won’t be a distant dream at all.
Aggressive Nationalism Back on Track:-
Aggressive nationalism in Karnataka is something BJP cannot afford to miss. This mode of campaigning, which was hugely successful in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly Elections, is the sharpest weapon in the arsenal of Yogi Adityanath, and given the current state of politics in Karnataka, where Siddaramaiah is leaving no stone unturned to create a divide in the majority community, be it the AHINDA policy, or the organized murders of nationalist and right wing activists like Paresh Meshta, an aggressive campaigning by Yogi Adityanath will be nothing less than a blessing for the BJP, who aims to revive their southern aspirations through a convincing victory in Karnataka.
Not the one to disappoint, Yogi Adityanath hit out directly at the overt minority appeasement practised by the Siddaramaiah government, including the controversial Tipu Jayanthi, celebrated in the memory of the controversial Mysore ruler, Tipu Sultan.
He even invoked the memory of Lord Hanuman, who is said to have taken birth in this state, as well as the glorious Vijayanagar Empire, contrasting it with the overt minority appeasement, as reflected in their celebrations of the birth anniversary of Tipu Sultan, and other Islamic festivals in tow.
Given the effect that the first campaign of Yogi had in Karnataka, BJP could compensate for the losses it suffered in Gujarat by going aggressive in Karnataka with their tried and tested weapons, with which Yogi never disappoints.
Beating Siddaramaiah at his own game:-
In an attempt to corner Yogi Adityanath’s series of attacks against him, Siddaramaiah hit back at him, accusing him of neglecting his own state and being an amateur at history. In his own words, “………While Uttar Pradesh is known for its jungle raj and hopeless law and order situation, Karnataka is not. Mr. Adityanath should not lecture us in administration. He should focus on improving law and order in his own State…………Tipu fought the British in four wars. Mr. Adityanath should study history properly before making such remarks,” he said.
While we appreciate Mr. Siddaramaiah’s enthusiasm in hitting back at Yogi Adityanath, it looks as if he is committing the same mistakes that the ex CM of UP, Akhilesh Yadav did in dealing with this person. A CM, whose own integrity with respect to the rampant molestation on New Year’s Eve in his own capital, Bengaluru, and the incessant murders, whether of opposition activists or administrative officers, is under serious doubt, is lecturing the man, who has given the criminals and anti social elements in UP a nightmare, a lesson or two in law and order.
Besides, speaking on a historical note, Tipu Sultan fought against in the British in three wars, not four, and won only the first among the three. But wait, that’s what happens when a known hypocrite, who indulges in petty appeasement, meets a bold opponent, who doesn’t care for trifles and attacks on serious issues such as law and order, civic duties etc, which the current government of Karnataka is seriously lagging behind in.
An Ideal Replacement for PM Modi in 2024:-
If a single campaign at Hubbali could evoke such a comic response from the incumbent CM Siddaramaiah, imagine what would happen if Yogi Adityanath gets the responsibility of conducting a lion’s share of the BJP campaigns before the Karnataka Assembly elections. On a serious note, with this very first attack, Yogi Adityanath has registered himself as a potential candidate for the successor of PM Modi, provided he retires from the post of the Prime Minister in 2024. An aggressive campaigning from his side can cement his position as BJP’s trump card in both the elections and their nationalist aspirations. The ball is now in Narendra Modi and Amit Shah’s court.
