After facing opposition barbs over his absence from the state even as a storm caused large scale destruction, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath cut short his poll campaign in Karnataka and rushed back to Agra, which faced the maximum brunt of the storm that left over 100 dead across the state. Earlier, Yogi was scheduled to take part in campaigning in Karnataka till Saturday.
Government spokesman Avanish Awasthi said that the CM would reach Agra on Friday night but visit the storm-ravaged areas on Saturday morning.
“The CM will review relief and rescue in Agra and then leave for Kanpur to monitor relief operation in the storm ravaged areas,” Awasthi said through a WhatsApp message on Friday.
Yogi was pilloried by SP president Akhilesh Yadav for being busy in Karnataka polls while people in western UP were killed and rendered homeless by the storm.
In a tweet Akhilesh said: “CM should come out imediatekly from Karnataka. People have elected him to solve their problems, not to do politics in Karnataka.”
Even CM of Karnataka, Siddaramaiah criticized Yogi for being in Karnataka even after his own state was hit by the storm.
A high-intensity storm ravaged parts of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan on Wednesday night, leaving 73 dead and 91 injured. Agra district was the worst hit accounting for 43 deaths and injuries to 51 others.
Meanwhile, the Met office on Friday, put Agra on a 72-hour alert till Monday. District Magistrate of Agra, Gaurav Dayal also issued a detailed advisory to manage any imminent disaster.