Why Yogi Adityanath’s ‘Gas Chamber’ Jab at Delhi Should Worry the BJP

Adityanath’s amplification of Delhi as a 'Gas Chamber' will not be limited to an indictment of Rekha Gupta alone.

Adityanath is arguably one of the only Chief Ministers among the saffron states who has built a brand of his own.

(Photo: Kamran Akhter/The Quint)

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, in his trademark no-holds-barred style, delivered the sharpest criticism of New Delhi’s worsened air quality yet, while also giving some clues as to the shifting political 'hawa' (wind) within the saffron brigade.

Adityanath lamented the “gas chamber” life of those who live in Delhi. He dwelt upon the air quality index (AQI). The CM asserted that the AQI in his home turf of Gorakhpur is far better, and that despite “development works”, the people in UP breathe clean air.

The remarks are ringing loud in Delhi’s political corridors, bringing with them a renewed interest in decoding political messages. What Yogi made clear, requiring no efforts to decode, is his assertion that his model of governance is far superior than those who are handling the affairs of the city of Delhi.

Pattern in Pollution Politics

Not long ago, Adityanath was in the audience along with Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh when the poet-turned-kathawachak Kumar Viswas vented his frustration with air pollution in Delhi. He spoke of being able to breathe in air and open his lungs when he landed in Lucknow. In the same breath, Vishwas questioned the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying the party was already in power at all the three levels in the national capital—Centre, Delhi government, and municipal corporation.

Vishwas expressed anguish at the failure of the BJP-led administration to deal with the air pollution crisis, popularised by social media reels. Adityanath’s indictment of Delhi’s air crisis now commands a much bigger audience.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta still gives out a vibe of an intern in office, remaining clueless to the grave crisis confronting millions of the people for months now.

That the manner in which Adityanath spoke on Delhi’s air pollution crisis is blunt is evident. Those who closely track Adityanath stress that he is always blunt in his utterances. This aspect is known to all in the BJP. So, Adityanath is living up to his reputation in speaking bluntly.

Delhi, however, is not a state and the Centre has high stakes in managing affairs of the national capital. The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) had been holding high-level meetings on the Delhi air crisis till the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) held power in the city.

With the BJP now in power, Union Minister for Environment, Bhupender Yadav, is the visible face from the Centre for the air crisis. So, Adityanath’s amplification of Delhi’s "gas chamber” will not be limited to an indictment of Rekha Gupta alone.

Yogi and Powerplay in the BJP

Adityanath is arguably one of the only Chief Ministers among the saffron states who has built a brand of his own. Other Chief Ministers of the BJP-ruled states, who had statures of their own, are either Union Ministers or in the winter of their political careers.

The unusual delay in finalising the president of the BJP in UP has also been portrayed by observers as an outcome of power tussle between Adityanath and the central party leadership. This backdrop will quickly add to Yogi’s blunt speech missiles, which may hit the BJP’s own turf.

Political observers concur that Adityanath knows well he is the Chief Minister of UP because of his stature in the state. His “gas chamber” speech in Gorakhpur may well reveal a hidden message that Adityanath knows that he cannot be disturbed as the CM till the 2027 UP elections.

That window to change him is now shut as UP goes to polls in less than a year. Disturbing him now will only be a self-inflicted harm in a state which decides who will be India’s Prime Minister. The BJP is wiser with the 2024 lessons when the party was reduced to number two position in the Lok Sabha tally from the state.

With his position safe now and scope for any experiment likely only after the polls, Adityanath is vocally asserting his governance model if the BJP were to win a fresh mandate in Lucknow. This articulation may further shut out any chance for post-poll thoughts in the BJP to explore a Yogi alternative in Lucknow. If Yogi seeks a mandate on his governance model and the people say yes, he will play his third innings with an assertive stance.

Nitish Kumar Template Gains Strength

Bihar went to polls last year with tales emanating from Patna that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was struggling with his health conditions. Kumar hit the roads to confront conspiracy theories. He visibly expressed his loyalty to Prime Minister Modi and raised stakes for his governance model on the campaign trails.

Bihar voted for the Nitish Kumar governance model and also for Modi as a projected benefactor of the state. This is now seen as the Nitish Kumar template—loyalty to Modi and assertion of own governance model. Kumar stayed in the office after the election, even after the BJP emerged much stronger in Bihar.

Adityanath also is seemingly working the same template—reiteration of loyalty for Modi, but also establishing own governance model.

This cleverly brings Brand Modi and Brand Yogi at the centre stage in the run up to the 2027 Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. A positive mandate will mean that the people vote for Adityanath along with Modi.

That will be a powerful shield if Adityanath faces any exploration of an alternative within the BJP. His bluntness in speaking on “Delhi’s Gas Chamber” will thus carry a message that he’s a Chief Minister who is playing to the strength on his turf.

Now, Adityanath is a veteran in the power politics within the BJP. He has seen too many episodes that were widely commented as attempts to clip his wings. Adityanath knows his leverage in UP politics. He will know that the BJP needs him to win big from UP in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. Adityanath will be okay blowing his administrative trumpet with the smoke emanating from “Delhi’s Gas Chamber.”

(Author is a senior Delhi-based journalist, who for over two decades has tracked the affairs of the BJP and the RSS for India’s leading English dailies. This is an opinion piece and the views expressed are the author's own. The Quint is does not endorse or is responsible for them.)