Has BJP's central leadership 'trapped' Chief Minister Adityanath by fielding him from Gorakhpur urban?

Vibha Sharma
New Delhi, January 16

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Has the central BJP leadership “trapped” Chief Minister Adityanath by fielding him from Gorakhpur (urban) in the high-stake Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh?

Many observers, and also some in the BJP, certainly believe so given the widespread speculations about differences between him and the BJP’s central leadership.

It is no secret that Adityanath was hoping to contest from Ayodhya to make a larger point and impact.

There were speculations that Adityanath, who will be contesting his first Assembly polls, maybe fielded from Ayodhya.

Leaders, however, said contesting from Gorakhpur, his political bastion from where he has been contesting for the Lok Sabha, will leave him free to campaign in other parts

Though they also say that Adityanath has been fielded from Gorakhpur to also impact the Purvanchal region, the counter to this point is that a similar impact would have been made had he been fielded from Ayodhya.

It remains to be seen who is selected from Ayodhya because he or she, it is believed, will be part of the larger plan that the BJP has for UP following the elections.

Meanwhile, much also depends upon the next move of sitting MLA from Gorakhpur (urban), Radha Mohan Das Aggarwal, the man who has won the Assembly constituency multiple times

While speculation is that the four-time sitting MLA may be sent to the Rajya Sabha or made a  Governor or fielded from some other constituency, the observers believe that if he decides to contest, things may become difficult for Adityanth in his political stronghold.

The buzz also is that he may be fielded by the Samajwadi Party from the constituency

Meanwhile, Ayodhya will poll in Phase 5 of the Assembly election on February 27.