Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and BJP's 'hindutva icon' Yogi Adityanath will be joining the election campaign in the neighbouring state of Bihar in the next few days.
According to the state BJP sources here, the UP Chief Minister is likely to address around two dozen election meetings in different parts of Bihar.
A majority of the election meetings to be addressed by Adityanath will be in the regions which share borders with UP, sources said. UP shares a large border with Bihar.
A senior BJP leader here told DH that the Gorakshnath Peeth, of which Adityanath was the 'mahant' (religious head), commanded "great respect" in Siwan, Chapra, Gopalganj, and some other districts in Bihar.
"There are a large number of followers of Gorakshnath Peeth in different regions of Bihar," the leader said, adding that the party expected to make "electoral gains" in the poll-bound state.
Besides this, the saffron party also feels that UP government's 'help' to the lakhs of migrant workers from Bihar, who were stranded in the state during their journey home from the industrial towns in Gujarat, Maharashtra and NCR, will benefit its prospects.
"The UP government had made good arrangements for the migrant workers, who were on way home in Bihar....they were provided shelter and food and the state government also made arrangements to transport them home," the leader added.
Saffron-clad Adityanath is also known for his "hardcore hindutva" and is among the star campaigners of the BJP. In the past, his remarks at meetings in Assembly polls in different states had generated huge controversies and the Election Commission (EC) also imposed ban on him on many occasions.