Beware! UP may become Kashmir, Kerala and Bengal, Yogi Adityanath warns

Ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in a video shared by the state BJP on Twitter said that 'a vote for the BJP would decide the future of Uttar Pradesh, else it will not take long for Uttar Pradesh to become Kashmir, Kerala and Bengal.'

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh): Hours prior to the first round of elections in the state, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that Uttar Pradesh can become Kashmir, Kerala or Bengal if voters 'make a mistake'. In a clip shared by him, Yogi Adityanath tweeted in Hindi saying (roughly translated)," Vote, be sure to do it! Your one vote will decide the future of Uttar Pradesh. Otherwise, it will not take long for Uttar Pradesh to become Kashmir, Kerala and Bengal."

With the people lining up for the first phase of polling, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also urged voters to cast their votes to strengthen the resolution of the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) for a "crime-free, fear-free, riot-free" state. Adityanath also lauded the role of the voters, saying that the sanctity of polling will be incomplete without their contribution, and requested them to "vote first" before taking up any other work for the day.

"Today is the first phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh. This sanctity of polling will be incomplete without your (voters) contribution. Your one vote will strengthen our resolution of a crime-free, fear-free, riot-free Uttar Pradesh. That's why 'vote first' then do any other work," the Chief Minister further tweeted. The UP CM Yogi Adityanath is seeking a second term in UP, with former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party emerging as the prime competitor.

Nearly 20.03 per cent of votes have been polled till 11 am in the first phase of the high stakes Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, the Election Commission said. So far the polls have been by and large peaceful. Among the constituencies, which are going to polls today Shamli recorded the highest voter turnout of 22. 83 per cent while the lowest voter turnout of 17. 91 per cent has been recorded at Aligarh. The first phase will cover the 'Jat-dominant belt' of the western part of the state.

The districts that are going to the polling today include Mathura, Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, Ghaziabad, Bulandshahar, Hapur, Shamli, Baghpat, Aligarh, Agra and Gautam Buddha Nagar. Voting for the first phase of Uttar Pradesh elections on 58 assembly seats covering 11 districts of the state began at 7 am and will conclude at 6 pm today. In 2017, the saffron party secured 53 of these 58 Assembly Constituencies.