Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday paid homage to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya on his birth anniversary and said it was the BJP ideologue ‘s visionary leadership that brought villages, the underprivileged, farmers, and women to the forefront of political agendas across parties.

CM Adityanath garlanded Upadhyaya’s statue at the Deendayal Upadhyay Smritika near KKC College on Charbagh Road in the state capital.

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In his address, Adityanath emphasised that, “Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya was the pioneer of Antyodaya, a profound thinker, philosopher, and one of the founding leaders of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh. The principles that Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya introduced to Indian politics 60-70 years ago, continue to resonate in Indian democracy today, as reflected in numerous programs initiated by political parties.”

During the occasion, the Chief Minister also inducted five new members into the Bharatiya Janata Party as part of its membership drive.

The CM remarked that Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya’s ideology focused on uplifting villages, the poor, farmers, the marginalised sections of society and women, guiding them toward self-reliance. “He championed the motto, “Work for every hand, water for every field,” believing that true economic progress is not reflected by the prosperity of the elite, but by the upliftment and well-being of those at the bottom of society”, he stated.

Adityanath added, “The vision Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya introduced to Indian politics 70 years ago is relevant today also. This vision is evident in the significant strides made since the COVID-19 pandemic: 80 crore people receiving free rations, 12 crore households gaining access to toilets, 10 crore families benefiting from free Ujjwala Yojana gas cylinders, 4 crore poor receiving homes, and 12 crore farmers benefiting from the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi. This reflects a commitment to holistic development, aiming to uplift society through cultural progress and the nation’s overall growth.”

CM Adityanath further noted that under PM Modi’s leadership, this vision has come to life over the past decade, paving the way for a new India. He mentioned that the BJP, world’s largest political party, has chosen to commemorate Pandit Upadhyaya’s birth anniversary as the day to launch its membership campaign. He also commended the Lucknow Mahanagar team for their ambitious goal of enrolling 100 members at every booth.

The Chief Minister echoed PM Modi’s belief that elections are won not at the district, parliamentary, or assembly level, but at the booth level. “The booth is the Kurukshetra of elections. Winning the booth means winning the election. A strong booth ensures victory,” he said.

The Chief Minister expressed confidence that the targets set by the BJP at the national, state, and booth levels will be easily met by the party’s dedicated workers.

So far, Lucknow has successfully added 2,52,494 new members to the party.