Between 1947 and 2017, Uttar Pradesh ranked sixth or seventh in the country on several indices, but the BJP government helped the economy reach the second spot, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said today as he released BJP's campaign video ahead of the state polls.
"I would like to highlight that what could not be done in decades has been done in just 5 years. Today, UP is ranked 2nd in India," he said.
Asserting that his government had achieved all its key objectives and did its duty towards the people with earnestness and honesty, he said, "The last two years were a challenge not just for UP, but the entire world because of the Covid pandemic. The threat was not just for life, but also livelihood. But I want to thank the Prime Minister for leading the nation and helping it rising from the challenge," he said.
"I would also like to congratulate and thank the people of India, especially Uttar Pradesh, for being so forthcoming and taking the vaccine, which has been a key to us being able to move ahead and emerge strong," the Chief Minister told the media.
70% of the Uttar Pradesh population, he said, is now vaccinated. "UP is also the state which has carried out the maximum Covid tests among all states in India and has emerged as a leader in India's battle with COVID-19," Mr Adityanath added.
"I would like to reiterate that this government in Uttar Pradesh has worked diligently and with total honesty to take the state forward and help develop UP while also address the needs and aspirations of the people," he added.
Mr Adityanath, who took over as Chief Minister after the BJP swept the 2017 election, now faces a crucial election to retain power. The Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party has emerged as the main challenger to the BJP, with the past several weeks seeing big-ticket defections from the ruling party.
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