Adityanath's stature rises as he becomes Player of the Match

After the Uttar Pradesh bypolls and the Maharashtra elections, he has undoubtedly emerged as a force to reckon with

- AJAY JHA

The political stature of Yogi Adityanath, as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ajay Mohan Singh Bisht is popularly known, has gone up by several notches following the recently concluded round of Assembly elections. Victories in seven of the nine constituencies where by-polls were held have firmly established the saffron-clad seer-turned-politician as one of the frontline leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Yogi's role in shaping the Mahayuti's (BJP-led coalition) unprecedented victory in the Maharashtra assembly elections was crucial. He emerged as one of the most sought-after speakers during the Maharashtra campaign, and his catchy slogan "Batenge toh katenge," became an instant hit in the Uttar Pradesh by-polls, with its potential to unite the Hindu voters by creating a fear-psychosis among them. Yogi brought this slogan to Maharashtra, and it suddenly transformed the political scene, propelling the Mahayuti, which was earlier trailing the rival Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), to surge ahead and secure a historic, heavily one-sided mandate.

Until Yogi's arrival with his slogan, the BJP appeared somewhat confused and struggling in Maharashtra. There was not much to boast about regarding the achievements of the Mahayuti government during its two-and-a-half-year tenure, apart from the pre-poll announcement of the "Ladki Bahin" scheme, a financial dole for women. Though it created the right noises, it lacked the potential to generate significant traction in the BJP's support.