CM Yogi Adityanath and deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya in Lucknow on Thursday. Vishal Srivastav CM Yogi Adityanath and deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya in Lucknow on Thursday. Vishal Srivastav

Weeks after comparing Samajwadi Party chief to Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday likened Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Maratha warrior-king Shivaji and claimed that a BJP victory in 2019 would be an answer to “traitors” in the country.

Addressing a gathering of Kurmi and Patel communities in Lucknow as part of the BJP’s OBC sammelan, the CM also also cited the “surgical strikes” and Doklam issue to prove the central government’s hard stance on international affairs when it came to the neighbours. He claimed the strikes “taught Pakistan a lesson”, while the China “moved back” over the Doklam crisis in August 2017.

“Modi ji ne jahan par jis prakar ki awashyakta hai us prakar ki ranniti apnayi… jaise Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj ne apnayi thi. Rashtra bhakti kaisi honi chahiye Congress ko iske bare mein Modi ji se seekhna chahiye… (Modiji’s adopted such stratgies that reminded one of Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Congress should take a lesson on rashtra bhakti from Modi ji…),” he said. The chief minister said that Shivaji forced Aurangzeb to bow before them.

He said that while former PM Indira Gandhi gave a slogan to remove poverty, but it was schemes from the Modi-led central government that made the difference. Praising the first union home minister Sardar Patel, Adityanath said his government had proposed to the Gujarat government to construct a guesthouse at Sardar Patel Sarovar. He said that a BJP win in next year’s Lok Sabha elections would be an answer to “desh drohi” and “Bharat virodhi” elements in the country.

Targeting Congress chief Rahul Gandhi’s recent temple visits, deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya at the event said he had to prove his “Hindu credentials” by reciting the Hanuman Chalisa.

He also targetted the SP and Congress for “dynastic politics” and said that it was only in a party like the BJP can anyone aspire to become the prime minister of the country or the chief minister of the state.

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