Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath has decided to spend his time, during the EC ban from campaigning, in an awesome and fruitful manner. Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday, when the ban came into effect, visited the Hanuman Setu temple in Lucknow where he recited the Hanuman Chalisa. The UP CM has also left for Ayodhya to pay a visit to the Ramlalla Shrine and the Hanuman Ghari Mandir.

“The Chief Minister’s programme includes visits to Ram Janambhoomi and Hanuman Garhi temple. He will also meet VHP religious leaders in Ayodhya on Wednesday,” the BJP district president in Ayodhya, Avadhesh Pandey, said.

Yogi Adityanath on his visit to Ayodhya will also be meeting Ram Janambhoomi Nyas President Mahant Nritya Gopal Das and Digambar Akhara Mahant Suresh Das.

CM Adityanath will be having lunch with several prominent sadhus in Ayodhya at Digambar Akhara. Later on in the evening, Yogi Adityanath will be proceeding to Devipatan, a temple of goddess Durga in Balrampur district, where he will stay for the night. He also has further plans to visit more temples during the 72 hour period of the ban.

Yogi Adityanath along with BSP chief Mayawati are facing 72 and 48 hrs ban from campaigning, respectively starting from 6:00 am on Tuesday, from the election commission for the violation of the Model Code of Conduct.

Mayawati on one hand was struggling against the EC order and had filed a plea in the Apex court challenging the ban, the Supreme court rejecting her plea has displayed satisfaction over swift action taken by the EC for the violation of the Model Code of Conduct, on the other hand Yogi Adityanath, respected the decision taken by the Election Commission and has decided to use the time in a spiritual manner.

Yogi Adityanath has been deeply connected to his Hindu roots even after he was criticized by the left-liberal lobby for ‘overtly displaying his religion’. Yogi Adityanath is also the Mahant or chief priest of the Gorakhnath Math, a Hindu temple in Gorakhpur, a position he has held since the death of his spiritual “father”, Mahant Avaidyanath.

The Election Commission in a series of bans has taken action against various senior leaders of several political parties. Azam Khan, senior Samajwadi party leader and close aide of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav has also been banned by the EC for 72 hours over his derogatory comments made during an election rally. He had said:

“Jisko hum ungli pakadkar Rampur laaye, aapne 10 saal jinse apna pratinidhitva karaya…Uski asliyat samajhne mein aapko 17 baras lage, main 17 din mein pehchan gaya ki inke niche ka underwear khaki rang ka hai”. Maneka Gandhi was also banned by EC from Campaigning over similar incidents of the violation of the model code of conduct.