Even when the five time, immensely popular MP from Gorakhpur was selected by Amit Shah to lead UP, a number of people were skeptical. Us included. An unapologetic Hindu, the Yogi always challenged the BJP for their soft approach to Hindutva and the problems of their core group of supporters. This would be a problem for a career politician but Yogiji is anything but that. But for like Modi and Shah who are performers and result oriented men, Yogiji was a kindred spirit. They trusted him with politically the most important state.
Yogiji started his tenure like a sledgehammer. He identified law and order as the main problem and went after criminals with a vengeance. People responded positively to that. His initiatives with rioters was also met with an overwhelming approval. His hard work and dedication earned him #YogiRoxx trend on Twitter. But none of that earned him any approval, leave alone praise from the PM. Before the 2019 general elections, Yogiji started talking about Ayodhya and Ram Mandir as he felt very strongly on the issues. This made him very popular amongst the voters but his statements were met with a strong rebuke from the PM (we all remember PM’s body language on a trip to UP where he treated Yogiji like an errant person). At that time I thought that all that felt like a father disciplining his son.
Then came Covid-19, the biggest problem the world had collectively face since WWII. Even believers like us were very worried about UP. We thought it was only a matter of time before UP surpasses Italy and Spain. Then came some more bad news. Migrant workers were being disowned by the employers and send back home. The worst was Kejriwal’s sleazy tricks at the Anand Vihar bus depot where an immense panic was caused. In face of seemingly insurmountable odds, Yogiji and his team rose to the challenge and dealt with the problem with ruthless efficiency. Thanks to his effort, the erstwhile BIMARU state was one of the best managed. If you consider the enormity of the task, Yogiji’s performance amongst all the CMs is the best. We are not going to quote numbers and stats. But population of UP is similar to Pakistan and Brazil. Number of cases, recovered and deaths for UP is 21,549 14,215, 649. The same for Pakistan is 203000, 92624, 4118 and for Brazil is 1.32 million, 716000, 57103. Such great is Yogiji’s performance that it earned him praises from the most unlikely of quarters, Pakistan.
Pakistan-newspaper-praises-yogi-governments-strict-lockdown-enforcement-in-up.
Having obtained a chokehold on the Covid problem, Yogiji set out to solve the problem of the returning citizens of UP. He has taken the PM’s Gareeb Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan and made it more muscular and innovative and launched Atma Nirbhar UP Rojgar Abhiyan under which 1.25 crore jobs will be created in 31 districts in 125 days.
1-25-crore-jobs-31-districts-125-days-pm-modi-to-launch-atma-nirbhar-up-rojgar-abhiyan-today.
Suddenly Yogiji went from a populist leader to a problem solver, a high achiever, a man who found opportunity in a crisis, a visionary a consummate leader. He now reminded us of an ex CM of Gujarat. Yogiji, the leader has arrived as was recently acknowledged by that ex CM.
In the following video, the PM acknowledges the enormity of the task and praises Yogiji sky high for the way he dealt with the problem. He says that this kind of success would not have been possible in the past. All UP received in the past was excuses. But no more. Now UP has a leader who did not go to his father’s funeral because he was needed in Lucknow. A very rare praise from the PM of Yogiji’s success and sacrifice.
https://twitter.com/BJP4India/status/1276449392178782208
In the following video the PM praises Yogiji’s wisdom and strength in this time of crisis.
https://twitter.com/bjp4india/status/1276447418955882496?s=11
In the following video the PM acknowledges Yogiji’s ability to not only adapt the central government policies but improve upon them in both qualitative and quantitative manners. Yogiji found opportunity in crisis and improved and increased the scope of Atmanirbhar India. You can almost feel that the PM is hinting at his potential replacement.
https://twitter.com/BJP4India/status/1276444638803419138
In many ways, the PM sounds like a proud father who is parsimonious with his praises but one who finally decides to give credit where it is due. Words like these from a man like Narendra Modi must mean a lot to an upcoming leader like Yogi Adityanath.
From the point of view of Modi-Shah, their ability to recognize the potential in Yogiji speaks volumes of the future of the BJP and their ability to groom future leaders. BJP is truly in safe hands. But as a voter we cannot help but draw parallels between Modi and Yogi. Honest to a fault, both men have almost identical family backgrounds. Despite of their powerful stature, their families are not favored in the public arena. Both of them are extreme hard workers and over achievers. Both of them are monks – one declared while the other waits for his retirement. That said, Yogiji has a long way to go before he becomes a Modi. He is still a diamond in the rough who needs to work on his diplomatic skills. In one aspect, he out does Modi and that is his unapologetic approach to Hindutva and nationalism.
Leading in peace and prosperity is easy. True leaders shine in times of trouble. Yogi has proven his mettle in the worst of times and for that citizens of UP must feel relieved and proud that finally they have a leader who is going to put the state on the road out of the BIMARU statues. The nation has to be relieved because in Yogi we have a person who is more than capable of leading the nation.
