Yogi takes lead role in Gorakhpur, Ravi Kishan plays supporting cast
May 15, 2019  12:09
In the battle to redeem lost pride in the Gorakhpur Lok Sabha seat, popular Bhojpuri actor and BJP candidate Ravi Kishan is playing second fiddle as Yogi Adityanath takes centre stage in the electoral fight. Sharing dais with the chief minister during poll rallies, the BJP candidate is often seen standing alongside the 'maharaj' with folded hands.


Regarded as the fiefdom of the Gorakhnath peeth, the seat with 19.54 lakh voters has 10 candidates in the fray. However, a direct contest appears on the cards between BJP candidate Kishan and alliance nominee, Rambhuwal Nishad of the SP.


Though Yogi Adityanath won the seat from 1998 to 2017, the shock defeat during the 2018 bypolls was a massive loss of face for the ruling party, coming months after its emphatic win in the 2017 Assembly elections.


The election on the seat, this time round, is being treated by the party and loyalists as an opportunity to avenge the humiliation and restore faith in the leadership of Yogi Adityanath.


"The fight on the seat is to retain the pride of Maharaj...the Hindu Yuva Vahini and BJP are one in the contest this time round and are in the campaigning as one unit," zonal vice president of BJP Satyendra Singh said. 


Leading the campaign from the front is the chief minister himself, who is camping here for the May 19 polling in the last phase and has addressed over two dozen rallies. 


This week, he will be holding a big road show in Gorakhpur city along with BJP president Amit Shah. Lending all out support is the Hindu Yuva Vahini, founded by Adityanath, which has been actively involved in the campaigning with the CM asking for presence of one worker each of the BJP and the HYV at all booths.


Since the defeat in the bypoll had also been attributed to the low turn out, the major focus is on increasing polling percentage in Gorakhpur city. -- PTI
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