Yogi Adityanath, the Mahant of Gorakhnath Math, returns as Uttar Pradesh CM for second term

New Delhi: Yogi Adityanath took oath as the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister for a second consecutive term on Friday (March 25) at a mega event in Lucknow's Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium. Adityanath scripted history today as the monk-politician was sworn in for a second time after completing a full five-year term, a feat none of the previous UP CMs have achieved.

A five-time Lok Sabha MP from Gorakhpur, saffron-robed Adityanath contested maiden Assembly elections from the Gorakhpur Urban seat this year and won by a huge margin of over 1 lakh votes. With BJP's landslide victory again after the 2017 Assembly polls, it became the first party to return to power in successive polls after 37 years. The BJP-led alliance returned to power with a huge mandate by winning 273 of 403 seats in the recently-concluded Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.

Journey from monk to politician 

Yogi Adityanath was born on June 5, 1972 as Ajay Singh Bisht in a village in Uttarakhand. Bisht left his home in 1990 to support the Ram Temple movement and became a disciple of Mahant Avaidyanath of Gorakhnath temple in Gorakhpur. After Avaidyanath's death in 2014, Adityanath became the head of the Gorakhnath 'math', a post he still holds. 

He completed his bachelor's in Mathematics from Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University. In 1998, he stepped into politics on the directions of his guru and at 28 became the youngest Lok Sabha member. Adityanath also founded the Hindu Yuva Vahini in Gorakhpur. 

A surprise choice by the BJP, Adityanath, a Hindutva mascot, took oath for the first time as the UP CM in 2017 Assembly elections when BJP defeated Samajwadi Party to form a government in the crucial state. Adityanath along with 47 ministers had taken oath on March 19, 2017. 

Yogi Cabinet 2.0 

After securing another massive victory in 2022 polls, 49-year-old Yogi Adityanath was once again sworn in as the CM of the most populated state in the country. Keshav Maurya and Brajesh Pathak took oath as the deputy CMs. Check the full list of Cabinet ministers HERE. 

The constitutional provisions allow a total of 60 ministers in Uttar Pradesh including the chief minister. 

A grand ceremony 

Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel administered the oath to Adityanath in a grand ceremony in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP national president J P Nadda.

(With agency inputs)

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