Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday cast his vote in Gorakhpur in the ongoing seventh and last phase of Lok Sabha elections, which are being conducted in 59 constituencies across seven states and one Union territory today.
Adityanath was among the first voters in Gorakhpur, which was his constituency for five terms before he became the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.
The CM cast his vote at the Prathmik Vidyalaya near Jhoolelal Temple at 7 am.
“People are fighting this election for nation’s interest and if someone cannot understand this thing, his IQ is questionable. The entire election revolved around Modi-ji. With big achievements of his government during the last five years, the BJP will win the election,” he told reporters after exercising his franchise.
He also commented on the violence in West Bengal and pointed out that unlike the eastern state,
“Elections are a festival in a democracy. The way people have participated in these elections is commendable. Compare UP and West Bengal, violence wasn’t reported from UP in the last 6 phases of elections unlike West Bengal,” he said.
READ: Lok Sabha elections Phase 7
Polling in both UP and West Bengal are being held in all seven phases. Bengal is the only state where violence has been reported in every phase held so far.
Gorakhpur was a BJP bastion from 1991 to 2017, first under Mahant Avedyanath and then under Adityanath.
In the by-elections held in 2017 following Adityanath becoming the CM, the BJP was defeated by Samajwadi Party (SP) candidate Praveen Kumar Nishad.
The SP, which formed an alliance with BSP and RLD for the general elections, has fielded Ram Bhuwal Nishad.
Nishad voted at Daunadih Prathmik Vidyalaya booth number 295.
BJP has fielded actor-turned-politician Ravi Kishan to wrest the seat back from the SP.
Union minister of state for Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla, who cast his vote in Gorakhpur, expressed confidence that Kishan will win with more than 3 lakh votes and the BJP will form government at the Centre.