Lucknow guest house turns most powerful address in UP

Yogi Adityanath has turned the VVIP guest house into his seat of power, reports Virendra Singh Rawat.

Lucknow’s VVIP Guest House has become the most powerful address in Uttar Pradesh ever since newly-appointed Chief Minister Adityanath Yogi checked in to one of its suites after his elevation to the top post.

The guest house, which is owned by the UP government’s estate department, has in the past hosted Union ministers and other high profile guests during their short visits to the state capital.

However, the precincts have never seen such activity as they have over the past week, after Adityanath moved in with his security paraphernalia and aides. The entire complex and surrounding area have since been virtually converted into a fortress.

The VVIP guest house is located opposite another city landmark, the Loreto Girls College on the posh Mall Avenue. The area also boasts of the residence of former Chief Minister Mayawati and the Bahujan Samaj Party’s office.

So far, Adityanath has deferred his entry to 5 Kalidas Marg, the official residence of incumbent chief ministers. The VVIP guest house and the official residence are less than a kilometre apart.

According to sources, Adityanath could move to the official residence next week during the nine-day Navratri fest, which religious Hindus consider auspicious for starting new ventures. Earlier, the official residence was subjected to Hindu religious rituals to prepare its premises for the new occupant, who himself is a revered seer and head of the powerful Gorakshnath Peeth of Gorakhpur.

Meanwhile, Adityanath is scheduled to visit Gorakhpur, his parliamentary constituency, on Saturday. He will return to the state capital on Sunday.

The VVIP guest house continues to see a steady stream of high heeled visitors, including politicians, bureaucrats (both present and past), and police officials.

On Friday, former state minister and senior BSP leader Ramvir Upadhyaya met Adityanath at the guest house to complain about the alleged attempt on his son’s life by a Samajwadi Party leader.

SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav’s younger son Prateek and his wife Aparna also called upon Adityanath, as did Alok Ranjan, a former state chief secretary and advisor to former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav.