UP polls: Home Minister Amit Shah arrives in Gorakhpur

Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh) [India], February 4 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday arrived in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur to accompany Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath when he files his nomination papers from Gorakhpur constituency.
Before the nomination, Shah and Union Minister and State BJP in-Charge Dharmendra Pradhan will address a rally in the city.
Earlier in the day, Adityanath offered prayers at Gorakhnath temple, ahead of filing nomination for the state Assembly election.
Notably, BJP was the first party in Uttar Pradesh which declared their chief ministerial candidate, CM Adityanath, for the upcoming State Assembly elections that are scheduled to take place in seven phases beginning from February 10.
Earlier on January 15, BJP announced that Yogi Adityanath will contest from the Gorakhpur constituency in the upcoming Assembly polls.
Following the announcement of Adityanath's candidature, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav also declared that he will contest from Karhal in the Mainpuri assembly seat.
Amit Shah, who was BJP chief from 2014-20, has been instrumental in sealing Uttar Pradesh for the party in 2014, 2017 and 2019 by using his success mantra of establishing contacts with party workers.
The polling in Uttar Pradesh will be held on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27 and March 3 and 7 in seven phases. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.
In the 2017 Assembly elections, the BJP won a landslide victory winning 312 Assembly seats. The party secured a 39.67 per cent vote share in the elections for 403-member Assembly. Samajwadi Party (SP) bagged 47 seats, BSP won 19 while Congress could manage to win only seven seats.