<p>Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday termed the upcoming urban body elections as the "Deva-Asura Sangram", a battle between the gods and their enemies, and said it is necessary to teach the corrupt and the mafia a lesson.</p>.<p>Addressing an election meeting ahead of the state-wide civic polls on May 4 and 11, the chief minister assured the development of the sacred Naimisharanya site in Sitapur.</p>.<p>"Naimisharanya will undergo a facelift on the lines of Kashi, Ayodhya and Mathura. After Naimisharanya's rejuvenation, religious tourism will create employment opportunities in every sector," he said in Sitapur.</p>.<p>Adityanath also addressed meetings in Lakhimpur Kheri and Balrampur as part of the campaign.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/is-yogi-adityanath-taking-a-leaf-out-of-v-p-singh-s-model-of-governance-1213377.html"><strong>Also read: Is Yogi Adityanath taking a leaf out of V P Singh’s model of governance?</strong></a></p>.<p>He compared the civic polls to the war between the gods and the demons.</p>.<p>"In this land of Naimisharanya, Maharishi Dadhichi once donated his bones to make weapons for the victory of the divine forces,” he said, adding the elections provided an opportunity to teach a lesson to the corrupt and the criminals who flourished under the previous regimes in the state.</p>.<p>The BJP has been attacking the opposition Samajwadi Party for allegedly giving patronage to criminals when it was in power.</p>.<p>At another meeting, the CM said before 2017, when the BJP came to power in Uttar Pradesh, there was hooliganism in the state and a “goonda tax” collected from traders.</p>.<p>But now nobody has the courage to demand it, he said.</p>.<p>"Basic facilities will start to reach every home as soon as the ‘third engine’ joins the ‘double-engine government,” he said, referring to the BJP governments already in UP and at the Centre.</p>.<p>“The benefits of the government's schemes will be made available to everyone without discrimination,” Adityanath added.</p>.<p>In Lakhimpur Kheri, he said along with facilities like four-lane roads, technical education, the area will soon have a medical college and its airstrip developed into an airport.</p>.<p>Lakhimpur will serve as a hub of ecotourism, which will open new avenues for the region’s development, he said.</p>.<p>He claimed only the BJP reached out to people during the Covid pandemic.</p>.<p>"We also provided a free ration facility. Whether it is welfare schemes for the poor or the infrastructure, we have taken care of everything," he said.</p>.<p>Votes polled in the two-phase election will be counted on May 13.</p>
<p>Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday termed the upcoming urban body elections as the "Deva-Asura Sangram", a battle between the gods and their enemies, and said it is necessary to teach the corrupt and the mafia a lesson.</p>.<p>Addressing an election meeting ahead of the state-wide civic polls on May 4 and 11, the chief minister assured the development of the sacred Naimisharanya site in Sitapur.</p>.<p>"Naimisharanya will undergo a facelift on the lines of Kashi, Ayodhya and Mathura. After Naimisharanya's rejuvenation, religious tourism will create employment opportunities in every sector," he said in Sitapur.</p>.<p>Adityanath also addressed meetings in Lakhimpur Kheri and Balrampur as part of the campaign.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/is-yogi-adityanath-taking-a-leaf-out-of-v-p-singh-s-model-of-governance-1213377.html"><strong>Also read: Is Yogi Adityanath taking a leaf out of V P Singh’s model of governance?</strong></a></p>.<p>He compared the civic polls to the war between the gods and the demons.</p>.<p>"In this land of Naimisharanya, Maharishi Dadhichi once donated his bones to make weapons for the victory of the divine forces,” he said, adding the elections provided an opportunity to teach a lesson to the corrupt and the criminals who flourished under the previous regimes in the state.</p>.<p>The BJP has been attacking the opposition Samajwadi Party for allegedly giving patronage to criminals when it was in power.</p>.<p>At another meeting, the CM said before 2017, when the BJP came to power in Uttar Pradesh, there was hooliganism in the state and a “goonda tax” collected from traders.</p>.<p>But now nobody has the courage to demand it, he said.</p>.<p>"Basic facilities will start to reach every home as soon as the ‘third engine’ joins the ‘double-engine government,” he said, referring to the BJP governments already in UP and at the Centre.</p>.<p>“The benefits of the government's schemes will be made available to everyone without discrimination,” Adityanath added.</p>.<p>In Lakhimpur Kheri, he said along with facilities like four-lane roads, technical education, the area will soon have a medical college and its airstrip developed into an airport.</p>.<p>Lakhimpur will serve as a hub of ecotourism, which will open new avenues for the region’s development, he said.</p>.<p>He claimed only the BJP reached out to people during the Covid pandemic.</p>.<p>"We also provided a free ration facility. Whether it is welfare schemes for the poor or the infrastructure, we have taken care of everything," he said.</p>.<p>Votes polled in the two-phase election will be counted on May 13.</p>