Lucknow: For the second consecutive year, UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath did not adhere to the tradition of attending the prayer meeting at the Idgah on Id.
However, he conveyed his greetings to the people on Id through a press release.
It has been a tradition for chief ministers to attend the prayers at the Idgah on every Id. The chief minister, after the prayers, greets people and gives a short speech.
Yogi Adityanath had broken this tradition last year and did nto go to the Idgah. When asked, he had said that he was a staunch Hindu and did not celebrate Id.
The chief minister was represented by deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma at the Idgah.
An interesting sight at the Idgah was UP governor Ram Naik and former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav standing side by side at the Idgah.
Mr Naik and Mr Yadav were recently involved in a public spat over the plundering of the bungalow that was vacated recently by Mr Yadav. The governor had written to the chief minister, asking for action against the Samajwadi chief, while Mr Yadav accused the governor of having the ‘soul of RSS’ inside his heart.
Meanwhile, former cricketer and former MP Mohd Azharuddin visited Moradabad on Saturday and celebrated Id with the local people. He held discussions with local Congress leaders too.
Mohd Azharuddin, as a MP from 2009 to 2014, was known more for his absence from his constituency than his presence. Missing posters of the former cricketer were put up more than once in Moradabad and Mohd Azharuddin finally decided against seeking re-election in 2014.
His visit to Moradabad on Saturday has fuelled speculations about the possibility of his seeking election form Moradabad in 2019.
In Meerut, actor Nagma was present on Saturday to celebrate Id with party workers. She offered prayers with the local people. Nagma had contested the 2014 polls from Meerut and she is apparently starting the ground work for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
