The AAP government is taking the ‘right’ turn to push its multi-crore Yamuna rejuvenation plan in Delhi.

The Delhi government is seeking to rope in spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and yoga guru Baba Ramdev in its efforts to make the Yamuna cleaner.

Sources said the move aims at creating a ‘jan andolan’ (mass movement) for the river by involving the duo, who enjoy huge mass appeal.

The Centre had also roped in Baba Ramdev (left) and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar for two of its flagship initiatives

The two leaders have been actively involved with Centre’s flagship programs - Namami Gange and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

Delhi’s Water Minister Kapil Mishra said he has already met Sri Sri in this regard and will meet Ramdev after the ongoing session of Delhi Assembly.

“I met Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on Wednesday. The Art of Living will actively join our future efforts for Yamuna,” he said.

Mishra, who is also the Chairman of Delhi Jal Board, said he will meet Ramdev after the Assembly session and ask him to lend his support to the Yamuna rejuvenation plan.

The AAP government has also decided to turn to private players, who will be tasked with reviving the river within three years.

The Delhi government needs Rs 3,659 cr to clean the Yamuna, which meets 70 per cent of the Capital's water needs

The AAP government needs Rs 3,659 crore to clean the Yamuna, which meets 70 per cent of Delhi’s water needs.

On the political turf, the AAP government has been opposing Right-wing parties and the ideology propagated by them. However, sources said, the government does not mind seeking the help of Hindu spiritual leaders for a social cause, particularly the Yamuna clean-up.

The AAP government has also been working with the BJP-led Union government on the Yamuna clean-up.

Following a series of meetings between Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti, the two governments have agreed to set up a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to clean and rejuvenate the river.

The Delhi government and the Centre have decided to prepare a blueprint to clean the Yamuna.

The development comes despite the long-standing face-off between the AAP government and the Centre over a host of issues.

Sources in the Delhi government claimed the government intends to hold consultations with these spiritual leaders apart from academicians and technocrats, NGOs, environmentalists and policymakers and implementers to devise an effective mechanism.

“We will be happy to lend any possible support to the government for the cause of pollutionfree Yamuna,” a spokesperson for Ramdev said.

Ramdev had also launched the ‘Save Ganga’ campaign from Uttar Pradesh in 2008.

The Centre has already associated Ramdev and Sri Sri with a national-level interactive session to brainstorm over what went wrong with the Ganga cleaning mission and what could be done to restore its glory.