05-12-2007, 03:53 AM
Another sign of hindutva disunity under a veneer of unity.
http://www.indianexpress.com/story/30714.html
Why Yogi is the one smiling
PIYUSH SRIVASTAVA
Posted online: Saturday, May 12, 2007 at 0000 hrs
LUCKNOW, MAY 11 : <b>The shock that the BJP found itself in was in complete contrast to the upbeat mood of its Gorakhpur MP Yogi Adityanath and his camp. What makes the defeat more painful for the saffron party is that while its state President Kesri Nath Tripathi lost from Allahabad East, his bete-noire Yogiâs kitty of winning candidates swelled from one in 2002 to seven this time. Yogi had handpicked 14 party contestants in eastern UP.
Out of the seven winners, six belong to the Hindu Yuva Wahini (HYW) and the Hindu Mahasabha, two organisations with Yogi as the patron. His candidates won from Gorakhpur Sadar, Maniram, Tulsipur, Ramkola, Hata, Naurangia and Farenda in Gorakhpur, Kushinagar and Maharajganj districts.</b>
Although there were nine BJP MLAs from eastern UP in 2002 compared to seven this time, there was only Radha Mohan Das Agrawal from Gorakhpur Sadar who belonged to Yogiâs Hindu Mahasabha. Agrawal has been re-elected.
<b>An elated Yogi told The Indian Express that only he could save these seven seats and added, âThe state leadership had in fact dug its grave by dumping the Hindutva agenda and promoting cronyism and indiscipline. I tried every means to keep this (Hindutva) issue alive. And you can see that despite a wave in favour of the BSP, we have won seven seats in the region.â</b>
When pointed out that BJP candidates for whom he had campaigned extensively lost in Deoria, Siddharthnagar, Sant Kabir Nagar and Basti, Yogi blamed it on the state leadership and said, âDespite all my efforts, the BJP didnât change its candidates in these four districts. I could force the state leadership to field my chosen candidates only in Gorakhpur, Kushinagar and Maharajganj and you can see how well my candidates have done.â
<b>Yogi said he would have been a saviour for the BJP had party leaders realised his merit in time.
âIn fact, I had a list of 42 candidates, which the party did not accept. I am sure the BJP would have won 25 seats in eastern UP had it heeded to my advice,â Yogi added. </b>
http://www.indianexpress.com/story/30714.html
Why Yogi is the one smiling
PIYUSH SRIVASTAVA
Posted online: Saturday, May 12, 2007 at 0000 hrs
LUCKNOW, MAY 11 : <b>The shock that the BJP found itself in was in complete contrast to the upbeat mood of its Gorakhpur MP Yogi Adityanath and his camp. What makes the defeat more painful for the saffron party is that while its state President Kesri Nath Tripathi lost from Allahabad East, his bete-noire Yogiâs kitty of winning candidates swelled from one in 2002 to seven this time. Yogi had handpicked 14 party contestants in eastern UP.
Out of the seven winners, six belong to the Hindu Yuva Wahini (HYW) and the Hindu Mahasabha, two organisations with Yogi as the patron. His candidates won from Gorakhpur Sadar, Maniram, Tulsipur, Ramkola, Hata, Naurangia and Farenda in Gorakhpur, Kushinagar and Maharajganj districts.</b>
Although there were nine BJP MLAs from eastern UP in 2002 compared to seven this time, there was only Radha Mohan Das Agrawal from Gorakhpur Sadar who belonged to Yogiâs Hindu Mahasabha. Agrawal has been re-elected.
<b>An elated Yogi told The Indian Express that only he could save these seven seats and added, âThe state leadership had in fact dug its grave by dumping the Hindutva agenda and promoting cronyism and indiscipline. I tried every means to keep this (Hindutva) issue alive. And you can see that despite a wave in favour of the BSP, we have won seven seats in the region.â</b>
When pointed out that BJP candidates for whom he had campaigned extensively lost in Deoria, Siddharthnagar, Sant Kabir Nagar and Basti, Yogi blamed it on the state leadership and said, âDespite all my efforts, the BJP didnât change its candidates in these four districts. I could force the state leadership to field my chosen candidates only in Gorakhpur, Kushinagar and Maharajganj and you can see how well my candidates have done.â
<b>Yogi said he would have been a saviour for the BJP had party leaders realised his merit in time.
âIn fact, I had a list of 42 candidates, which the party did not accept. I am sure the BJP would have won 25 seats in eastern UP had it heeded to my advice,â Yogi added. </b>