UP Elections: Why is Yogi Adiyanath Repeatedly Using the Expression 'Double Engine ki Sarkaar'?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi coined the expression 'double engine ki sarkaar.' But Uttar Pradesh (UP) chief minister Yogi Adityanath uses it more than him. Modi came up with the expression as he drew an analogy between a train powered by two locomotives and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in power in the centre and a state. He meant that two engines could pull a train more efficiently; a state will see more development if both governments, in the state and the centre, are of the BJP.

Modi became the prime minister in 2014. Since then, in states where the BJP was not in power, he, while canvassing during Assembly elections, sought votes invoking the expression, 'double engine ki sarkaar.'

But in UP, where Assembly elections are on, CM Adityanath uses the expression repeatedly in his tweets, even though differences seem to exist between him and the PM.

Consider a few tweets of Adityanath from last year –

March 22

Double engine ki bhajpa sarkaar ke niyojit prayaason se Uttar Pradesh desh mein audAdiyanathk nivesh ka utkrisht gantavya ban kar ubhra hai (because of the planned efforts of the BJP governments of the Centre and the state, UP has emerged as the best destination for investment).

Bhajpa ki double engine ki sarkaar samagra samaj ke utthaan wa unnyan hetu sankalpit hai (the Centre and the state government of UP are committed towards the overall development of all).

March 21

Double engine ki bhajpa sarkaar Pradesh mein shaikshik vistaar hetu pratibadh hai (BJP governments are committed to spreading education in the state).

Bhajpa ki double engine ki sarkaar Pradesh mein sudridh yaataayaat vyavastha hetu teevrata se karya kar rahi hai (the double engine governments are working promptly to regulate traffic flow).

March 20

Double engine ki bhajpa sarkaar pradesh ki behnon aur betiyon ke unayan hetu sankalpit hai (BJP governments of the Centre and state are committed towards the welfare of women and girls).

Double engine ki bhajpa sarkaar mein janpad Lakhimpur-Khiri mein naagrikon ka bhagyauday ho raha hai (people of Lakhimpur-Khiri district are witnessing a change in their fortunes because of the BJP governments at the centre and state).

March 19

Double engine ki bhajpa sarkaar ne nari sashaktikar hetu apratim kaarya kiye hain (the BJP governments have done unprecedented work for the empowerment of women.)

Double engine ki bhajpa sarkaar ne gaon-gaon ko roshan kar jan-jan ke jeevan ko prakashmaan kiya hai (because of the BJP governments, villages now have electricity and people are not living in darkness).

March 18

Uchch shiksha aur behtar ilaaj double engine ki bhajpa sarkaar ka dheyey hai (quality education and better health facilities are the aims of the BJP governments).

Double engine ki bhaajapa sarkar jan kalyaan hetu samarpit hai (BJP governments are dedicated to the welfare of the masses).

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Why is Adiyanath repetitively using an expression coined by Modi in almost every tweet when relations between the two leaders can't be called cordial if not bitter?

Newspapers reported differences between Modi and Adityanath as AK Sharma, a bureaucrat considered close to the former, was sent from Delhi to UP a little over a year ago.

An IAS officer of the Gujarat cadre and hailing from eastern UP, Sharma, for 20 years, closely worked with Modi, earlier in Ahmedabad and then in Delhi.

Speculations were widespread that Modi was not too happy with the functioning of the Adiyanath government and wanted a confidant in a key position in Lucknow. But Adiyanath was not ready to offer an important position to Sharma for fear of becoming insignificant.

A veteran journalist from Lucknow, Atul Chandra, who recently co-authored a book on Adiyanath, said, "Modi has long years of administrative experience as a chief minister, and now he is the prime minister. Adityanath's experience is limited to administering a temple and a monastery. Modi was perhaps feeling there was scope for improvement in the governance of UP and hence wanted Sharma as the deputy chief minister of the state."

Chandra said Adiyanath must have felt his position was being undermined, and by accommodating Sharma in the cabinet, he would have created another power centre in Lucknow.

"Forget making Sharma a deputy chief minister; Adiyanath even refused to meet him when he reached Lucknow," said Chandra. "Sharma waited four days in Lucknow before Adiyanath finally saw him."

He said Modi tolerated the abrasiveness because Adityanath, over the years, has emerged as an icon of Hindutva and could not have afforded to precipitate things for the party ahead of elections.

"As CM, Adityanath has to depend on Modi and the Centre. Modi is the PM and the most popular leader of the party. He can't refuse to campaign in UP," said Chandra.

"But going by the happenings in the state, it can't be said everything is all right between the two."

Chandra said Modi was doing his bit in the UP because he eyes the 2024 General elections. The results of the 2024 General elections will depend on the outcome of the current UP elections, he said.

"Now the question is why Adiyanath depends on Modi in the current elections?" asks Chandra.

"Adiyanath has failed to deliver. Investments and jobs are missing in UP. People died as the second wave of COVID hit the state. The Ganga river was choked with corpses. How long can a person cover-up or hide things? Adiyanath's image has suffered while Modi's image remains intact. Modi is still popular among the masses, whereas Adiyanath's has been reduced to ultra-right. Hence, Adiyanath is falling back on the Modi's expression, 'double engine ki sarkaar'."

Manoj Tripathi, a political analyst of Kanpur, said, "Adiyanath is the CM of UP, and so legislators will follow his directions. Sharma visited Kanpur in December to participate in a function, but no legislator of the city except Salii Vaishnoi turned up to meet or receive him in the city. So what should one infer? Vaishnoi attended the function as he also has the charge of Varanasi, Modi's Parliamentary constituency."

He said Modi was not satisfied with Adiyanath's performance and wanted a point man in Lucknow.

"Modi wanted Sharma as the deputy chief minister, but Adiyanath scuttled the plan, and today Sharma is nothing more than a member of legislator council and one of the 17 vice presidents of the state BJP unit," said Tripathi.

To drive home the differences between the two leaders, he recalled the inauguration of the Purvanchal Expressway in Sultanpur district on November 16 by Modi.

"Modi's aircraft landed at the expressway. Adiyanath welcomed Modi as he emerged from the plane. Modi immediately got into a car that took him up to the stage where the inauguration function was to take place. On the other hand, Adiyanath had to walk up to the stage. The differences between the two have to be discerned," said Tripathi.

According to him, many of Adiyanath's decisions have made him unpopular.

"Adiyanath may have checked slaughter of cows, but the animals are creating havoc in the rural areas of the state. It's a major issue in the present election," said Tripathi. "Also, Adiyanath's image has become that of a pro-thakur and anti-brahmin. The latter is 10% of the UP's electorate but are pretty influential."

"People are asking why the Adiyanath government was so prompt in taking action against the criminal Vikas Dubey, a brahmin, but has been soft on other influential politicians with criminal records like Kuldeep Singh Sengar, Dhananjay Singh and Raja Bhaiyya, who are thakurs," said Tripathi.

He said Adiyanath has realised that his prospects are not too bright in the present elections and hence was repeating the expression 'double engine ki sarkaar.'

But Adiyanath not including Sharma in the cabinet is not the only reason for the supposed rift between the two leaders.

According to political pundits, Ajay Mishra Teni, who represents Lakhimpur-Kheri constituency in Parliament, was inducted as a deputy home minister in the Centre's cabinet in the last cabinet expansion to appease the brahmins before the legislative elections.

Adiyanath wanted to take immediate action against Ashish Mishra, Teni's son after he allegedly mowed down four farmers fatally in Lakhimpur- Kheri. He also wanted Teni to be dropped from the cabinet. But neither was Ashish Mishra immediately arrested nor was Teni dropped from the ministry.

As the polls were approaching, there were reports that Adiyanath would contest either from Ayodhya or Mathura- places considered holy by Hindus. His winning from either of the places would have been similar to Modi standing from Varanasi, also a Hindu holy city, in the 2014 and 2019 General elections. But the party leadership for Adiyanath chose his home turf Gorakhpur as his constituency.

In Gorakhpur (Sadar) constituency, Adiyanath has to face Samajwadi Party (SP) candidate Shubhawati Shukla, the wife of the late Upendra Shukla, once a popular BJP leader of Gorakhpur. Upendra Shukla died in May 2020 due to a heart attack at 60, and Shubhawati Shukla joined the SP in January this year.

Tripathi said, "Winning from Gorakhpur will not be easy for Adiyanath. Upendra Shukla was a member of the BJP almost since its inception, and the family still enjoys the sympathies of the people of Gorakhpur. Moreover, Shubhawati Shukla is a Brahmin and the Gorakhpur Sadar constituency has over one lakh Brahmin voters."

"As a fresh Hindutva icon, Adiyanath could have easily won from either Mathura or Ayodhya, and his stature would have become almost like Modi's," said Tripathi. "But the party does not want that, and hence Adiyanath has been relegated to a constituency in Gorakhpur where winning is not going to be a cakewalk."

He said winning the Assembly elections was necessary for Modi because of the 2024 General elections. He is making efforts, but the aggressiveness shown by the party during West Bengal is missing.

"The BJP cadre in West Bengal was stimulated. That stimulation is missing in the UP elections," he said.

Tripathi said Adiyanath has finally realised that he can't seek votes just on his popularity. "Every poll material, whether a banner or a poster or a newspaper advertisement, has Modi's image as well along with Adiyanath's. Earlier it was not so."

The writer is a freelance journalist based in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh.