BJP brass quiet, lone loyalist screens Yogi biopic
Days after the release of Ajey: The Untold Story of a Yogi, a biopic on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, just half a dozen BJP ministers went to the theatres to watch the film with their supporters.
Among them, Sarojini Nagar MLA Rajeshwar Singh stood out as the only BJP legislator to organise a special screening in Lucknow. The event, which drew hundreds of women, youth, and local BJP functionaries, saw enthusiastic participation. Other ministers who watched the film in different theatres with their supporters included Dhirendra Singh, Manish Jaiswal, Ajay Singh, Pradeep Shukla, and Neeraj Bora.
The film has received a mixed response in its first week at the box office. In political circles, however, its reception has been even more telling. Many BJP leaders have refrained from even sharing the movie’s poster on social media.
What surprised Yogi’s core team was the near-complete absence of ministers taking such initiatives. Not a single cabinet member hosted a screening—except for Rajeshwar Singh. One minister explained, “If we start promoting the film, our organisation workers may label us as Baba’s loyalists. Perhaps, some senior party leaders did not approve. It is safer to remain neutral in such matters.”
The biopic is an adaptation of Shantanu Gupta’s book, The Monk Who Became Chief Minister, a biography of CM Yogi Adityanath. Actor Anant Joshi portrays Adityanath, while veteran Paresh Rawal takes on the role of his mentor, Mahant Adityanath. According to media reports, the film has earned Rs 1.6 crore in its first week of release.
AIIMS tug of war: Kerala BJP spars over location
The central government has not sanctioned an AIIMS in Kerala, but the state’s BJP unit appears embroiled in a dispute over its location.
It started when the party’s lone MP in the state—Suresh Gopi—during his outreach campaign, ‘Culver Sabha’, this week, in Alappuzha, said that he would push the central government to set up the AIIMS in the district, saying Alappuzha needs the facility as it lags in healthcare and other amenities. Suresh Gopi’s second option for AIIMS is his own constituency, Thrissur. After all, setting up an AIIMS in the state was one of Suresh Gopi’s key poll promises in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Shortly after his statement, the Thiruvananthapuram and Kasargod units of the BJP came forward, claiming the facility for their districts. Meanwhile, the state leadership has maintained that it is the central government’s decision. State leader M.T. Ramesh said the party will welcome AIIMS in any location and termed Suresh Gopi’s statement as an opinion.
Notably, Kerala has repeatedly been demanding an AIIMS in the state, but it has never materialised. The state earlier submitted a proposal, identifying Kozhikode, Thiruvananthapuram, Kottayam, or Ernakulam as the location for a proposed AIIMS. The state government has also acquired land in Kozhikode and awaits the central government’s nod. Following the BJP’s confusion, Left Democratic Front Secretary of Kerala and Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader M.V. Govindan said the BJP’s infighting raises the question whether the project will materialise.
35 decisions & 1 crisis at Karnataka cabinet meet
The Karnataka cabinet passed at least 35 subjects last Thursday, but the meeting remained overshadowed by rising concerns around the deteriorating quality of public infrastructure in Bengaluru. During the discussions, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar turned his attention to his junior colleague, Karnataka Minister of State for IT & BT and Science & Technology Priyank Kharge.
The Dy CM, who also holds the Bengaluru development portfolio, was fuming about why a committee set up to reach out to IT companies is still inactive. The government, particularly Shivakumar, has been under fire from various quarters, including private corporations, for the crumbling infrastructure in Bengaluru.
Wipro founder Azim Premji, on the same day, declined a request from Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to divert traffic through its campus. However, it is unclear if the cabinet had his response or if it arrived during the meeting, where Shivakumar calmed down only when told that he himself had kept the committee for IT industry outreach in abeyance.
(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)
Also Read: NSUI’s DUSU poll drubbing deepens Kanhaiya-Varun rift & Left capitalises on Suresh Gopi’s misses