UP Elections: Dimple Yadav, CM Yogi Adityanath face-off over saffron

Taking a jibe at UP CM Yogi Adityanath, ex-SP MP and Akhilesh Yadav's wife Dimple compared his govt to a 'rusted engine'. Addressing a public meeting on Friday, Yadav claimed that Adityanath's 'saffron clothes' resembled to 'rust',  adding 'time to remove rusted double engine'. Adityanath's hometurf - Gorakhpur - along with 56 other constituencies - will go to polls on March 3 - sixth phase of elections.

Dimple Yadav: 'Saffron the colour of rust'

"They keep claiming 'this is a double engine government. When an engine gets rusted, what is the color of the rust? I think the color of clothes our current Chief Minister wears is the same colour. It is time to remove such rusty engine," said Yadav.

In response on Sunday, Adityanath called Yadav's remark an insult to nature, Sanatan Dharma and saints. Reminding that the setting sun, fire and creation were saffron, Adityanath added that Swami Vivekanand proudly donned saffron robes. To loud chants of Jai Shri Ram at a Gorakhpur rally, Adityanath declared, "Yes, I am a Bhagwadhari".

"You would have heard an SP leader's remarks yesterday. That is an insult to nature, Sanatan Dharma, India's saints. She has linked saffron to rust. I say 'I am a Bhagwadhari'. Every UP citizen will say 'I too am a Bhagwadhari'. Saffron is the colour of creation. When the sun sets, it is also saffron. The fire which creates energy is saffron," said Adityanath. 

He added, "In the global stage, Swami Vivekanand said 'Say with pride I am Hindu'. What colour did he wear? It was saffron".

Yogi's Gorakhpur battle

On March 4, Adityanath will face SP candidate Shubhawati Shukla and Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad for the Gorakhpur Urban constituency in the sixth phase of elections. Shukla - late BJP Upendra Dutt Shukla's widow - grabbed the headlines after she was seen taking blessings of Union Minister Shiv Pratap Shukla and ex-BJP MP Prakash Mani Tripathi - both of whom are rivals of Adityanath. SP seeks to split the vote, banking on anti-Thakur votes in Gorakhpur.

Gorakhpur is the hometown of Adityanath and he had been the MP from Gorakhpur Lok Sabha seat since 1998 until he became the chief minister in 2017. Prior to Adityanath, then-CM Tribhuvan Narayan Singh contested from the district but lost in 1971. Adityanath is the 2nd CM to contest from the saffron stronghold. Results for the elections will be announced on March 10.