Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath kicked off his election campaign on Tuesday with a rally in Jharkhand.

He sought voters’ support for Dr. Neera Yadav from Koderma, Amit Yadav from Barkatha, Roshanlal Choudhary from Barkagaon, Pradeep Prasad from Hazaribagh Sadar, Purnima Das Sahu from Jamshedpur East, Saryu Roy from the West constituency, Meera Munda from Potka, and Ramchandra Sahis from Jugsalai.

In his address, CM Yogi criticised the Congress-RJD-JMM alliance, voicing concerns about the current state of Jharkhand. He urged citizens to stand firm and support the NDA candidates, asserting that stone pelters would soon be clearing the streets for them and ‘Bajrangi Pataka’ would proudly fly on every home in Jharkhand.

Extending festive greetings, he congratulated Jharkhand residents on Chhath Mahaparva and paid tribute to the revered Dharti Aaba, Bhagwan Birsa Munda. He also invited the people of Jharkhand to visit Ayodhya, Kashi, and Mathura.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath highlighted the remarkable transformation in Ayodhya, stating that those who once doubted the construction of the Ram Mandir now see it standing proudly, with Ramlala enthroned within. “The new Uttar Pradesh of today’s India does not spare those who threaten innocent citizens and Hindus. Lakhs of Ram devotees struggled and even sacrificed their lives for the temple on Shri Ram Janmabhoomi,” he asserted.

He pointed to Congress, RJD, and JMM as significant barriers to the construction of Ram Mandir. However, as soon as the people entrusted Narendra Modi with the nation’s leadership and formed a BJP government in UP, a 500-year-old issue was resolved, he said. Yogi added that while stone pelters once roamed Kashmir, they are now “on the journey of Ram Naam Satya”.

He noted that before 2017, stone pelters disrupted festivals in UP under political protection, but now, with a crackdown on the mafia, such elements have either left UP or embarked “on a journey to hell”. He added firmly, “The unjust and the oppressors will not find heaven, but hell.”

CM Yogi Adityanath, reflecting on changes in UP, spoke of the Kanwar Yatra, where nearly four crore pilgrims travel from Ghaziabad to Haridwar via Meerut. “Before 2017, the previous government didn’t allow the Kanwar Yatra. When our government insisted on allowing it, some said there would be riots. We responded, ‘Let’s try it once and see.’ Today, not only does the Kanwar Yatra happen, but flowers are also showered on pilgrims from helicopters,” he shared.

In Jharkhand, Yogi urged the people to assert their strength, suggesting that if they stand united, stone pelters would “clear the roads for you”, and the ‘Bajrangi Pataka’ would proudly wave on every home.

Appealing to the people of Jharkhand to resist divisions based on caste, region, and language, CM Yogi Adityanath remarked, “Those who divide in such ways are the same people who will not stand by you in times of crisis. Since 1947, Congress has inflicted wounds on the country; RJD did the same in Bihar, and JMM in Jharkhand.”

He continued, “The growing Rohingya infiltration in Jharkhand is changing the state’s demography. If this continues, those who are blocking processions today may not allow the sound of bells and conches in homes tomorrow. Unite under BJP’s leadership, ensure a safe Ram Navami Yatra, and protect your traditions. History has shown that whenever we are divided along caste, regional, or linguistic lines, we have suffered greatly.”

CM Yogi Adityanath was firm in his criticism of Congress, JMM, and RJD, expressing concerns over the ongoing infiltration of Bangladeshis and Rohingya. “The audacity of these elements is evident when they resort to stone-pelting on Maa Durga and Ram Navami processions during festivals,” he remarked. “This was a reality in UP before 2017, but now, those who attempt such acts face strict consequences. Today, there is neither curfew nor unrest in UP; there is absolute peace.”

Yogi emphasised that just as stone pelters were tackled in Kashmir, Naxalism would be similarly eradicated from Jharkhand under a BJP government.

Referring to the recent Haryana assembly elections, the Chief Minister noted that BJP had secured over two-thirds of the seats, defeating Congress. “The people have voiced that a double-engine government is essential for development, security, law, and order, and good governance. Under PM Modi’s leadership, such a double-engine government is an added advantage.”

CM Yogi Adityanath honoured the sacrifices of Koderma’s four freedom martyrs and questioned the current state of affairs in Jharkhand. “One Alamgir Alam Aurangzeb plundered the nation and desecrated sacred temples, while today another ‘Alamgir,’ a minister in the JMM government, has been found hoarding bundles of cash in his and his servants’ homes. He looted the money of Jharkhand’s poor. Such blatant looting is unprecedented,” he remarked.

Yogi emphasised that this election offers the people a chance to hold accountable those who have betrayed the promise of development. “Wherever BJP governs, there is a model of development with a legacy of respect,” he noted.

Addressing national security, CM Yogi highlighted India’s strengthened stance under the BJP government. “During Congress’s rule, China would trespass into our territory; today, their forces are retreating as the Indian Army holds strong patrols. Pakistan, too, trembles at India’s name. They now express their fears openly at the UN, saying they need protection from a potential Indian attack. We need a government that instills fear in our enemies,” he asserted.

CM Yogi Adityanath strongly criticised Congress, JMM, and RJD, stating that they have deprived the poor of basic resources, driven farmers to despair, and forced the youth to migrate. “This region, rich in natural resources and famous for its mica mines, has seen its poor denied even a trolley of sand for building a home, while sand, forest, liquor, and land mafias thrive under government protection,” he stated. Yogi affirmed that the only remedy for this mafia rule is the BJP.

He highlighted the transformation in Uttar Pradesh, saying, “Before 2017, mafias roamed freely with pride, but since the bulldozers began their work, even the most notorious have fled UP. Mafias involved in mining, forests, animals, organised crime, liquor, and land have vanished from the state like horns from a donkey’s head.”

CM Yogi Adityanath, drawing a stark contrast between political alliances, emphasised that on one hand, there is the NDA led by Prime Minister Modi, and on the other, the INDI Alliance of JMM and RJD under Congress leadership. “There’s a significant difference in the guarantees each offers. Modi’s guarantees are for every poor person to have a home, youth employment, respect for farmers, and safety for daughters and sisters,” he stated, highlighting the five guarantees the BJP has pledged for Jharkhand.

He described BJP as a promise of security, dignity, youth employment, women’s empowerment, and the balance of development with heritage. In contrast, he labelled Congress, RJD, and JMM as “messengers of destruction” and “agents of corruption” (‘Vinash ke doot’ and ‘Bhashtachar ke Farishte’), accusing their alliance of fostering corruption, anarchy, and hooliganism that undermines the nation’s dignity and security. He appealed to voters to reject this alliance to secure a brighter future, assuring that the NDA government will handle the rest.

CM Yogi also pointed out concerns raised by the Jharkhand High Court regarding the demographic changes in the Santhal region, where the tribal population has reportedly dropped from 42% to 28%. He asserted that the election is an opportunity to honour the vision with which Atal Bihari Vajpayee created Jharkhand, aiming to build a developed and safe state. He lamented that despite Jamshedpur’s legacy as a steel city contributing to national development since 1907, Jharkhand continues to grapple with poverty.

Meanwhile at the Barkagaon rally, several children stood in front of the stage holding paintings of CM Yogi. Noticing them, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath invited the children onto the stage. He encouraged them, admired their beautiful artwork, and even signed autographs. When the children touched his feet, Yogi ji blessed them warmly. The rally also featured bulldozers, a symbol of UP’s robust law and order.