Give Yogi Adityanath at least 6 months, says Akhilesh's uncle Ram Gopal Yadav

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh new Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath seems to have found support from an unlikely quarter - former CM Akhilesh Yadav's uncle Ram Gopal Yadav. 

"There is no need to start attacking him from the first day," Ram Gopal Yadav was quoted as saying as the Gorakhpur MP spent his first day in the office as Chief Minister today. 

The former Chief Minister's uncle further defended Adityanath for holding a puja at his official residence before moving in and said, "Doing puja is a normal practice in Hindu tradition before starting on a new project."

Earlier, a Trinamool Congress MP had also come out in support of Adityanath.

The TMC MP had denounced Adityanath's elevation as the Chief Minister and said that in democracy both Yogi, as well as Maulvi, have the right to hold political and constitutional office if democratically elected. 

"It is wrong to criticise Yogi Adityanath's elevation to the post of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister. Other political parties can't criticize his elevation as he has been democratically chosen by the elected BJP MLAs. BJP has got the majority and it is their prerogative to decide who will be the Chief Minister," senior TMC Vice President and MP Sultan Ahmed was quoted as saying by PTI.

When asked to comment on allegations of Yogi Adityanath being a polarizing figure, Ahmed said, "He is a five-time MP. He has been elected by BJP MLAs. In democracy be it a Maulvi or a Yogi, everybody has the right to hold political and constitutional office if he or she is democratically elected. There is nothing wrong in it." 

The BJP's hardline Hindutva mascot Yogi Adityanath took over as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh on Sunday with the promise of working for all sections of society without any discrimination.

Several political parties have criticized Adityanath's elevation to the post of Chief Minister.