'Tiffin Pe Charcha' campaign: UP CM interacts with party workers in Gorakhpur

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday interacted with party workers here as part of the ruling BJP's 'Tiffin Pe Charcha' campaign in the run-up to next year's parliamentary polls.

The 'Tiffin Pe Charcha' campaign, which implies "discussion over a meal", was launched to mark nine years of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.

Ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP launched its then-prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's famous 'Chai Pe Charcha' sessions to connect with voters after Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar mocked Modi's past as a tea seller.

Also Read: BJP govt focused on development, not appeasement: Yogi Adityanath

The BJP registered a landslide victory in the elections and Modi was sworn in as the country's prime minister for the first time on May 26, 2014.

In a series of tweets in Hindi, Adityanath said, "On the occasion of the completion of nine years of the Modi government, a 'Tiffin Pe Charcha' was organised with senior BJP workers in Gorakhpur."

"The meeting was extremely effective and positive. In this meeting, 328 workers took part. My good wishes to them," he added.

Adityanath on this occasion, said, "This 'tiffin baithak' (tiffin meeting) should be held at every assembly constituency. The MLA of Gorakhpur Rural (Bipin Singh) has come. But, the tiffin meeting of Gorakhpur Rural should be held on a different date, and Gorakhpur MP (Ravi Kishan) should attend it."

"The MP should go to all the assembly constituencies, on different days at different times, be it morning or night, but should go with their own tiffin. If we are able to conduct this programme, then an ordinary worker can tell anyone that we are a different party. We conduct programmes of the party, and take them forward as per our ideology," he added.

Elaborating further, Adityanath, who is a BJP MLA from Gorakhpur Urban Assembly constituency, said, "There will be no separate arrangement of food, and the workers can bring their tiffin, and eat it. Now, Ravi Kishan will bring whatever he likes and we will bring whatever we like, but every person has to bring their tiffins from their homes."

"We will deliberate (on issues), then have food, and then prepare for the next programme," he added.

He urged the party workers to make this month-long programme a success.

Adityanath further told the party workers, "We have to make an identity that the BJP is not a club party. It is not a 'parivarvadi' (family dynast) party, it is not a 'jaativadi' (casteist) party. It is not a party, which is operated by one person, it is a party of the common people and workers, and is dedicated towards the democratic values."

Addressing the meeting, he said under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has built considerable clout in the world.

"Today during any crisis, the world looks up to India and Prime Minister Modi with hopes in their eyes," he said, lauding the PM for his "visionary leadership and continuous hard work.

"Everyone knows what was the situation before 2014, what was India's position on the global stage. But after 2014, not only the country, but the whole world is also seeing what positive changes have taken place under the leadership of PM Modi," he said.

Before 2014, extremism in Kashmir, separatism in the northeastern states and Naxalism were at their peak with around 12 to 15 states being affected.

"Today, due to the abrogation of Article 370, there is an atmosphere of peace, harmony and development in Kashmir. In the panchayat elections held there, people participated in large numbers and the BJP got huge support. What was a fantasy earlier, is a reality today," Adityanath claimed.

At present, there is a BJP government in the northeastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Manipur and Assam. In Nagaland and Meghalaya, too, the government is running with the cooperation of the BJP, he said.

Earlier, one had to take permits to visit northeastern states, he said, adding that Naxal incidents have been curbed in affected states and the process of development has progressed rapidly.

He said in the last nine years, the respect given to Indians in foreign countries has increased.

Referring to Modi's recent three-nation tour, the UP CM said every Indian is proud of the increased attention that the country as well as the PM is getting on the global stage.

"Breaking protocol, the prime minister of Papua New Guinea not only received PM Modi after sunset but also greeted him by touching his feet. Fiji and Papua New Guinea conferred their country's highest honours on our PM," Adityanath said.

The Prime Minister of Australia called PM Modi the 'boss', while the US president was eager to get an autograph of our PM. All this shows the strength of the country's leadership," he added.