Assembly elections: As polls approach, UP turns into 'katha' pradesh

NEW DELHI: With elections approaching in Uttar Pradesh, leaders across the political spectrum are turning to hosting and organising Bhagwat katha, Shiv Puran katha, Ram katha and similar events.

State's Cabinet minister Manoj Pandey recently organised a Shiv Puran katha under the guidance of Pandit Pradeep Mishra of Madhya Pradesh in his assembly constituency Unchahar, located in the Raebareli district. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, deputy chief ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak and several state ministers and leaders attended the religious gathering.

On Tuesday, while Pandey was busy with the event in Unchahar, Adityanath dispatched a special helicopter to pick him up for the Cabinet meeting in Lucknow. Pandey thanked the Uttar Pradesh chief minister in a social media post, explaining how this support facilitated his participation in the Lucknow meeting and enabled him to attend the religious event too.


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A Ram Katha by Gujarat's Morari Bapu, which will continue in Agra until Wednesday, has been attended by Agra MP and Union minister SPS Baghel and local BJP MLA Purushottam Khandelwal.

Several BJP leaders - such as former MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, state minister Dayashankar Singh, Neeraj Bora, Ketakee Singh - have already organised such religious gatherings in their areas.

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Samajwadi Party members are similarly involved in organising such programmes. Former Ayodhya MLA and SP leader Pawan Pandey is hosting a Bhagwat katha led by Shukdev from October 2 to October 9. The eight-day programme will see participation from party president Akhilesh Yadav and other SP leaders. Residents from Ayodhya and nearby areas are also likely to attend the event.

Jansatta Dal Loktantrik leader and Kunda MLA Raghuraj Pratap Singh, alias Raja Bhaiya, is scheduled to organise a Hanuman katha by Dhirendra Shastri of Bageshwar Dham from November 17 to November 19. Raja Bhaiya is planning to field candidates in the forthcoming assembly elections from Pratapgarh and its neighbouring constituencies. The religious programme is aimed at gathering people from these areas.

The political parties are also planning to organise bhajan nights during Navratri, starting on October 11.

These religious functions are quite effective in connecting with voters on religious grounds just before the assembly elections. Such gatherings were earlier seen during the Bihar and Madhya Pradesh assembly elections.

Considering that the Uttar Pradesh elections are scheduled for early next year, these religious events are likely to continue for an extended period.