As Hindutva hardliner Yogi Adityanath was set to assume the reins of Uttar Pradesh, Congress leader Veerappa Moily called it the “biggest assault” on secularism, but the party’s official reaction was tempered with caution as it said it will act as “watchdog of people’s interest”.
Congress communications department chief Randeep Surjewala, however, said: “Congress party will continue to act as watchdog of people’s interests and play a constructive role in progress of the state of U.P.”
The BJP, however, stood behind the Yogi, notwithstanding his strident pro-Hindutva credentials, insisting that “he stands for development”.
BJP spokesman Siddharth Nath Singh said: “That image may be with media but he has been elected again and again. He stands for development and that is the agenda we have got and we will will stick to the agenda.”
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said U.P. will benefit a lot from his “competent leadership” and will soon become “Uttam Pradesh”.
Samajwadi Party MP Naresh Agrawal reacted cautiously to the Yogi’s elevation. “I congratulate him on his election. We will wait and watch for six months. We hope he will change his thinking and desist from creating a divide between Hindus and Muslims. If he does, we will go among the people and oppose him.”
CPI(M)’s Brinda Karat termed the move a part of the “RSS agenda”.
