Yogi Adityanath to address first election rally in Karnataka on April 26

Adityanath is likely to address more than a dozen election rallies and also hold roadshows in the poll-bound state

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, who was among the list of star campaigners for the BJP in Karnataka assembly elections, would be addressing his first rally in poll bound state on Wednesday.

According to the state BJP sources here, Adityanath, who was one the most sought after saffron party leaders in the southern state, was likely to visit Karnataka on April 26 and 30 to campaign in favour of the BJP candidates.

''The chief minister will be busy with campaigning for the party nominees in the forthcoming urban local body polls also and as a result his program for Wednesday and Sunday has so far been finalised,'' said a state BJP functionary here while speaking to DH.

Also Read | Man held for 'objectionable' social media post against Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath

Polling for the local urban local bodies in UP was also scheduled to be held on May ten and Adityanath was likely to campaign in favour of the BJP nominees in all the 17 municipal corporations besides some Zila Panchayats also.

The leader, however, said that Adityanath was likely to address more than a dozen election rallies and also hold roadshows in Karnataka, where assembly polls were scheduled to be held in a single phase on May 10.

He also said that Adityanath was among the most sought after BJP leaders from outside Karnataka and that the local party unit of the poll bound state wanted him (Adityanath) to campaign extensively in the state.

Also Read | BJP never won majority on its own; Win or loss, Congress always had better vote share

The leader said that the Gorakhnath Peeth, of which Adityanath was the ' mahant' (religious head), had followers in Karnataka also. ''Several mutts and religious organisations are directly or indirectly associated with the Nath Sect of which the Gorakhnath Peet is the biggest and most important centre in the country,'' he added.

Sources in the BJP said that there was a feeling among the saffron party's top leadership that Adityanath's ralles could give the much needed boost to its campaigning in the state elections to the BJP, which had witnessed exit of some of its senior leaders to the Congress.

In the 2018 Karnataka assembly polls also, Adityanath had addressed a series of election rallies there and also held roadshows and although the BJP failed to get majority in the then polls, it had emerged as the single largest party.