BJP star campaigner Yogi Adityanath may weave ‘UP magic’ in Nuh area

Sumedha Sharma

Gurugram, May 2

With UP CM Yogi Adityanath making it to BJP’s list of 40 star campaigners in Haryana, the party plans to get him to tap the ‘difficult’ turf of Nuh.

As per sources, following declaration of campaigners, a meeting was held in Rohtak, chaired by CM Nayab Saini, along with Lok Sabha election incharge Satish Poonia, who brainstormed on rally finalisation for them. The plan to get Yogi to Nuh and Ambala was mooted.

‘Difficult’ segment

• Nuh, a Meo Muslim-dominated district that witnessed communal riots in 2023 and ‘bulldozer’ action, has nurtured an anti-BJP sentiment
• It has been cited as a ‘difficult’ segment for the BJP in the Gurgaon Lok Sabha constituency
• The party’s senior leadership wants Yogi to mobilise Hindu votes

Nuh, the Meo Muslim-dominated district that witnessed communal riots in 2023 and ‘bulldozer’ action, has since nurtured an anti-BJP sentiment and been cited as a ‘difficult’ segment for the BJP in the Gurgaon Lok Sabha constituency.

The sources said the party’s senior leadership wanted Yogi to weave ‘UP magic’ in Nuh and mobilise Hindu votes. He is expected to speak about the changed facet of a UP district that had non-BJP supporters conventionally, but underwent huge development after supporting the Yogi government.

Nuh has always been a stronghold of the Congress and the INLD. Even in the last Lok Sabha elections, the BJP candidate and incumbent MP, Rao Inderjit Singh, failed to get many votes here. The sentiment has grown stronger after the 2023 riots, where a Jalabhihek yatra was attacked. The riots left six dead and Nuh was scarred forever.

Local residents alleged harassment owing to rampant arrests, and bulldozing of illegal properties belonging to rioters. Yogi, the poster boy of bulldozer action, is expected to work his magic for the party.

“Yogi has his own fan following among Hindu voters, especially those living in Muslim-dominated areas. He has followers among cow vigilantes, RSS and other right-wing units and will be able to mobilise the non-Meo population. We also want the Meos to hear how many districts from UP chose development over religion and have moved ahead,” said a senior party leader.